Astrazeneca's boss will jet back from Australia before the end of the month as he prepares to face disgruntled shareholders. Pascal Soriot, who has spent much of the pandemic at his family home Down Under, has irked investors and even some board members by refusing to come back to the UK since Christmas. During that time, Astra became embroiled in a row with the EU over supplies of its Covid jab, and has been put under intense regulatory scrutiny amid fears that its vaccine is causing rare blood clots. Homeward bound: Pascal Soriot has spent much of the pandemic at his family home Down Under While the company has stated that Soriot is managing the company effectively from afar, critics claim that boss would have a better grasp of the problems and how to resolve them if he was back in the country and in the same time zone as most of his colleagues. Under pressure from investors, the Mail understands Soriot, 61, is preparing to fly back to the UK in time for Astra's online shareholder meeting on April 30. Edentree Investment Management, which has a stake in Astra, said last week that Soriot's absence 'did not give the right signal or message'. Ketan Patel, an Edentree fund manager, added: 'If we were grading the PR effort, they could do better. If you look at the data, and see that the chances of getting a blood clot with this vaccine is about four in one million, compared to four in 10,000 for the contraceptive pill, that perspective needs to be highlighted. 'Perhaps it is right to say, where is the chief executive in terms of articulating the healthcare benefits? He hasn't been that public and being halfway around the world doesn't give the right signal or message.' Astrazeneca declined to comment but sources said Soriot's plans were 'still up in the air'. Soriot will be keen to nip any shareholder unease in the bud at this month's online event, as it precedes the annual general meeting in May when investors will vote on his re-election to the board and the company's executive pay. Last year, Soriot received 15.4million, up from 15.3million in 2019, including 13.4million in bonuses and incentives. Though shareholders will not be able to meet Soriot in person at this month's online meeting, due to the pandemic, they will be able to ask questions on the live video call. Flying back: Under pressure from investors, the Mail understands Soriot, 61, is preparing to fly back to the UK in time for Astra's online shareholder meeting on April 30 But many will feel comforted if he is back in the country, within easy reach of his colleagues at the Cambridge head office and with his focus squarely on the job. Soriot, a French-born businessman who has made his career in pharmaceuticals, moved to Australia with his family in 1990, where he is now a citizen. Insiders have said that Soriot is working 'European business hours' despite Sydney being nine hours ahead of the UK and his ability to communicate with his colleagues has not been hampered. For the first time, U.S. Army staff has gotten a look this week at the Sikorsky S-97 Raider helicopter in flight, one of two initial prototypes of a new generation of aircraft the Stratford manufacturer hopes will become the backbone of the U.S. military for decades. Sikorsky and parent company Lockheed Martin are proposing a refined version of the aircraft called Raider X as the replacement for the Bell OH-58 Kiowa helicopter, which has been used for scout missions dating back to the Vietnam War. With a stacked set of rotors that revolve in opposite directions, the Raider is similar in design to the Defiant X prototype that Sikorsky is developing as the militarys next utility helicopter to replace the current fleet of Sikorsky Black Hawks and Seahawk maritime helicopters. Bell, a subsidiary of Providence, R.I.-based Textron, is also in the running for the armed scout helicopter the U.S. Army wants as a replacement for the Kiowa. Bell has yet to complete assembly of its initial Bell Invictus prototype, which will resemble conventional helicopters with a single set of rotor blades. As a potential Black Hawk replacement, Bell is separately developing the V-280 Valor, which builds on the tilt-rotor technology the Texas manufacturer pioneered alongside Boeing with the V-22 Osprey used by the U.S. Marine Corps. Like the Osprey, the Valor has two rotor sets mounted on wings that lift the aircraft vertically, then swivel to propel it forward. Sikorsky test pilots Christiaan Corry and Bill Fell took the S-97 through the paces this week in Alabama, with Lockheed Martin posting video snippets of the flight on Vimeo. In a written statement released by Lockheed Martin, Corry highlighted the helicopters rear-mounted pusher prop that propels the aircraft to higher speeds than a conventional helicopter can achieve. In low-speed flight we are as capable as a conventional helicopter, but when we engage the prop, we are able to operate in a whole new way, Corry was quoted saying. Its much more like flying an airplane. The winner of the Armys Future Vertical Lift competition will be set up for decades of steady work, as the case with Sikorsky when the Black Hawk emerged as the Pentagons choice in the early 1970s. The company had jut over 8,400 employees in Connecticut at last report. Sikorsky is partnering with Boeing on the bid, with the companies having yet to specify whether manufacturing would be centered at Sikorskys Stratford plant or split both there and at Boeing helicopter factories in Pennsylvania, Arizona or elsewhere. The Department of Defense does not expect full-production orders for the new generation of vertical-lift aircraft for another decade. Sikorsky is already set up for an extended run in Stratford producing as many as 200 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the Marines a fleet of V-97 Marine One helicopters for the White House; and more than 110 HH-60W Jolly Green II combat rescue helicopters for the Air Force which completed developmental testing in Florida this week, nearly two years after flying for the first time. Last week, the White House released President Bidens overarching priorities for a $715 billion DOD budget he will seek for the 2022 fiscal year, but has yet to detail dollar amounts it will earmark for specific programs. In January, Lockheed Martin installed Paul Lemmo as Sikorsky president replacing Dan Schultz, with Lemmo previously general manager of a Lockheed Martin division that develops radar, sonar, sensors and other advanced military technologies. Sikorskys work on coaxial rotor design dates back to its days as a division of United Technologies, which sold Sikorsky to Lockheed Martin in 2016 then merged itself last year with Raytheon. UTC funded the early development without government assistance, with Sikorsky successfully flying the Raiders predecessor X2 helicopter for the first time in 2010. The National Aeronautical Association awarded Sikorsky its Robert J. Collier Prize as the top technical achievement in flight that year. No helicopter has won the prize since. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Friday that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has paid the bills of COVID-19 patients treated in healthcare facilities over the past year. "As of yesterday, nakapag-release po tayo ng [we have released] 1.8 billion to pay for the pending claims beginning March 2020 up to April 7, 2021," Duque told members of the House Special Committee on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle. As secretary of health, Duque is chairman of the PhilHealth board of directors. The state health insurer has been under fire for delayed reimbursements to healthcare institutions who tended to Filipino COVID-19 patients. RELATED: Symptoms declared as COVID-19 for higher claims? DOJ gives way to PhilHealth probe Now armed with cash, private hospitals should now be able to put up more isolation beds and intensive care unit (ICU) facilities to care for more coronavirus cases amid the current surge, Duque said. He admitted that sick people seeking immediate care in areas like Metro Manila still need to wait for isolation beds to become vacant. There were people who waited in outdoor tents and even in their cars prior to confinement. Despite this reality, the region's overall ICU bed occupancy rate tallied by DOH is only at 84%, and isolation beds at 63%. "Meron po tayong mga anim na mga siyudad na ang ICU utilization rate, nasa 100%. Dadagdagan po natin ang ICU beds natin at nakipagkasunduan po tayo sa mga malalaking private hospitals na dagdagan nila," Duque told lawmakers. "Sabi nila sa amin nung nakaraang Sabado, magdadagdag sila ng mga 150 ICU beds." [Translation: We have about six cities where the ICU utilization rate is at 100%. We will add more ICU beds and we already struck a deal with the major private hospitals to do it. They told us last Saturday that they will add about 150 ICU beds.] Duque added that the government will set up modular hospitals capable of caring for severe and critical covid-19 cases amid the current surge in infections, similar to the reopening of a mega facility in Quezon Institute which had a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 6. RELATED: Do away with ribbon-cutting, photo ops for new COVID-19 facilities Binay The DOH has reported 193,476 active COVID-19 cases in the country as of April 16, out of 914,971 total infections. More than 15,000 people have died due to the disease while more than 705,000 got better, the DOH report said. Plumes of ash rise from the La Soufriere volcano on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Friday, April 16, 2021. (Vincie Richie/The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre via AP) La Soufriere volcano shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash on Friday as a cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island coated in ash from a week of violent eruptions. The explosions that began on April 9 forced some 20,000 to flee the northern end of the eastern Caribbean island for shelters and contaminated water supplies across the island. Friday morning's blast "wasn't a big explosion compared to the ones that we last weekend, but it was big enough to punch a hole through the clouds," said Richard Robertson, lead scientist at the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center, in an interview with local NBC radio. "Probably got up to 8,000 meters (26,000 feet)." During a comparable eruption cycle in 1902, explosive eruptions continued to shake the island for months after an initial burst killed some 1,700 people, though the new eruptions so far have caused no reported deaths among a population that had received official warning a day earlier that danger was imminent. Meanwhile, British, U.S. and Canadian nationals were being evacuated aboard Royal Caribbean Cruises' Celebrity Reflection from the harbor in the Kingstown, capital of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The ship was due to arrive Saturday in Dutch Sint Maarten. British, Canadian and U.S. nationals line up alongside the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Reflection to be evacuated free of charge, in Kingstown on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Friday, April 16, 2021. La Soufriere volcano has shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash Friday morning as the cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island by a week of violent eruptions. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel) Dozens of foreigners toting luggage descended from tour buses and cars at the port terminal in Kingstown and patiently waited in a line that began in the parking lot and reached deep into the terminal. They included students from the Trinity School of Medicine along with stranded tourists, including families with young children in arms. "As of right now, we are being evacuated for our safety and to keep the island as safe as possible," said LLeah Ransai, a Canadian student at Trinity. "Between the school, the government and the embassies of the US and Canada, we're being evacuated now." The U.S. Embassy said those aboard would have to make their own travel arrangements home. It also noted in an official statement that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended against travel on cruise ships because the chance of getting COVID-19 and said people who had been in close contact with suspected COVID-19 cases were barred from the trip. All aboard were supposed to have a negative rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours of boarding. British, Canadian and U.S. nationals wait to board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Reflection to be evacuated free of charge, in Kingstown on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Friday, April 16, 2021. La Soufriere volcano has shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash Friday morning as the cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island by a week of violent eruptions. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel) Meanwhile, thousands of locals were stuck n emergency shelters with no idea when they might be able to return home. Levi Lewis, 58, a retired public servant from the town of Fancy, said the eruption had left him trying to get by with practically nothing. "I just reusing clothing cause i didn't walk with much," he said. "Plus water is an issue, so I'm trying to conserve it still." "I want to go back home, or to whatever is left of it," he added. A few people, however, never left, defying evacuation orders. Raydon May, a bus conductor in his late 20s who stayed in Sandy Bay throughout the eruptions, said he had always planned to stay if the volcano erupted and was trying to protect properties in the community while making occasional trips outside the evacuation zone to pick up water and supplies. British, Canadian and U.S. nationals wait to board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Reflection to be evacuated free of charge, in Kingstown on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Friday, April 16, 2021. La Soufriere volcano has shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash Friday morning as the cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island by a week of violent eruptions. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel) A healthcare worker helps an evacuee with his luggage as British, Canadian and U.S. nationals wait to board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Reflection, in Kingstown, on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Friday, April 16, 2021. La Soufriere volcano has shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash Friday morning as the cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island by a week of violent eruptions. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel) British, Canadian and U.S. nationals wait to board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Reflection to be evacuated free of charge, in Kingstown on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Friday, April 16, 2021. La Soufriere volcano has shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash Friday morning as the cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island by a week of violent eruptions. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel) A healthcare worker disinfects the luggage of an evacuee before boarding the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Reflection, in Kingstown, on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Friday, April 16, 2021. La Soufriere volcano has shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash Friday morning as the cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island by a week of violent eruptions. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel) The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Reflection sits docked waiting to evacuate a group of British, Canadian and U.S. nationals in Kingstown, on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Friday, April 16, 2021. La Soufriere volcano has shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash Friday morning as the cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island by a week of violent eruptions. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel) He said so much ash had fallen that the roofs of houses were collapsing under the weight. "One roof might get on like three truckloads of sand," he said. "We trying to help ... but we can't help everybody." 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. To the editor: For 40 years my family resided in Westminster West. One hundred and sixty years before that the Ranney family started farming in Westminster West. I understand it is unique and somewhat rare in Vermont for a farm to be in the same family for 200 years. While living near the farm the proximity contributed a lot to making it a special place. When Arthur Ranney ran the farm it was a special treat to interact with him. We bought raw milk from him and took special delight when in the spring he would come jogging up the road with a pail of grain followed by a cluster of heifers he was leading to summer pasture on the Old Athens Road. The farm has long frontage on both sides of the Westminster West road. The open fields are spectacular. So -- the question I have to ask (a shared thought, I believe) is how did this distinctly special property end up in the hands of a millionaire developer? How come it didn't come under the protection and control of the Vermont Land Trust? How come the Ranney family didn't have a chance to receive a development rights payment? Neighbors object loudly to Shumlin subdivision WESTMINSTER Former Gov. Peter Shumlin of Westminster ran into a stonewall of opposition Mo The recent Reformer article on former governor Peter Shumlin's development plans for the Ranney property ("Neighbors object loudly to Shumlin subdivision," April 7) made note of Shumlin's questionable development past. Mentioned was his taking advantage of Jeremy Dodge in East Montpelier. Do I see a pattern here? Michael Fairchild Brattleboro, April 8 The hat of a missing Brisbane boatie who was believed to have fallen off his tinny on a fishing trip has been found floating in the water while the search for him enters its third day. Trent Riley, 26, was reported missing two hours after he posted on Instagram while he was fishing on Wednesday. Missing Brisbane man Trent Riley. Police found his small unmanned aluminium boat about 100 metres off Mud Island, near the Port of Brisbane. Two of three fishing rods, a life jacket and a waterproof bag were still in the tinny. A Laois man has been jailed for laundering over 3.5 million - the largest cash seizure by gardai in the history of the State. Darren Hoey, (46) of Oak Drive, Ballacollig, Mountmellick was jailed arising from his arrest by Gardai who seized nearly 700,000 in Mountmellick and a further 2.8 million at a cottage in Lisselton, Co Kerry. Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau arrested the Laois man after he took two bags of cash from a car and bring them to the north Kerry cottage - his holiday home. Six more bags of cash were discovered in base of a bed in the cottage. During the raids, a ledger highlighting provided details of cash for drugs shipments. Gardai also recovered an encrypted phone with a Dutch SIM card. A vacuum packer and money counter were also recovered in Kerry. Hoey was described as the 'financial controller' for a criminal gang. Hoey was found guilty of two counts of money laundering and two counts of having an article for assisting an organised crime gang at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee this week. His defence team told the court that he got "sucked into" drugs following his mother's death. Judge Helen Boyle sentenced the Laois man to eight years in jail, with one year suspended. Det Supt Dave Gallagher from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau was the senior officer. He spoke after sentencing. Money is the lifeblood of organised crime. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau will continue to target persons willing to engage in the activity and facilitate the purchase and importation of controlled drugs that impact our communities, he said. The Russian Federation is trying to intimidate Ukraine with its actions in Donbas and provoke it into an offensive, but the Ukrainian side will continue to refrain from such a reaction, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said. "They [Russia] are definitely trying to show that we should be afraid, and they are trying to provoke us for sure ... We all understand that this is pressure. The pressure is political, militarized, and psychological. Why psychological? Because they are shooting and waiting for us to respond in the same way. Not only that, they 'expect' that we will go on the offensive in eastern Ukraine. But we will not give them 'such happiness,'" Zelensky said on April 13 in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, the text of which was published on the website of the head of state on Friday. When asked if he believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to annex Donbas by annexing it to the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian head of state replied: "I think I know what he wants, but I would not want to push him. Because there is always 1% hope that he does not want it. Or even if he wants, he will not do it." "We have heard this rhetoric that he is going to take the entire Donbas. But you should know our people, and I would like you to understand me: we will not give them a single centimeter of our land. Whatever it takes us ... So I really hope that they will not go further, won't escalate the situation. For, as I said, this will be a loss for everyone. And historically, first of all, for them. Because we are on our own land," Zelensky stressed. When asked whether, in his opinion, Russia's mobilization of troops is a test of the new U.S. President Joseph Biden, he said: "It seems to me that it is somehow connected. I think that everyone in the world is showing their muscles." At the same time, the President of Ukraine noted that "Russians make such steps all the time, conducting one or another exercises." According to the president, the Russian side reacts tensely to the rapprochement of Ukraine with NATO and cooperation with other countries, any economic breakthroughs. "They do not need a strong, independent Ukraine. We understand this. Although I believe that such a desire is their weakness," Zelensky said. Amanda Burke covers Pittsfield City Hall for The Berkshire Eagle. An Ithaca, New York native, she previously worked at The Herald News of Fall River and the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise. Find her on Twitter at @amandaburkec. Associated Press Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp drew jeers and boos at his state partys annual convention Saturday, laying bare the bitterness that remains among Republicans over his role in certifying Democrat Joe Bidens victory in the presidential race. Heading into his 2020 reelection campaign, the governor emphasized his accomplishments, especially an election overhaul that GOP state lawmakers pushed in reaction to Donald Trumps false assertions that he lost in November because of voter fraud. We must be strong and courageous, Kemp said. A second crewmember of the capsized Seacor Power lift boat has been found dead by rescuers who were searching the rough Gulf of Mexico waters around the flipped vessel, a government official said Friday. Lafourche Parish Coroner John King said the second deceased crew member was found in the water, not on the vessel, where rescue divers still hope to find at least some trapped crew alive. King said he is not immediately releasing the crew members identity because he has not spoken with the family. The U.S. Coast Guard issued a written statement saying that one of its helicopter crews out of Mobile spotted a man's body about 7:10 p.m. Thursday, relatively near the Seacor Power's wreckage. A Coast Guard boat crew recovered the man and brought his body to an agency's station in Grand Isle. The grim news comes a day after Kings office released the identity of late Seacor Power crew member David Ledet, 63, of Thibodaux. The body of Ledet, a captain, was found by Wednesday morning. Family members of what were 12 missing crew members, but now are 11, were updated at 11 a.m. on the progress of the U.S. Coast Guards search-and-rescue operation seven miles south of Port Fourchon. One social media post from an attendee at that meeting said representatives from the Coast Guard, the National Transportation Safety Bureau and Seacor, the ships owner, told them the second crew member confirmed dead was found 33 miles away. That person said they were told ex-Navy divers had not yet entered the flipped jack-up boat and that bad weather continued to frustrate the search. The Seacor Power capsized Tuesday afternoon en route to Main Pass 138, which is in the Gulf about 40 miles east of Venice, Louisiana. 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 weather was relatively clear when the jack up boat left, but an hour into the trip, forecasters warned that there would be tropical-storm caliber winds and potentially deadly waves in the area where the crew was headed. Those winds turned out to be much stronger than forecast. About 4:30 p.m., the Seacor Power took on water, turned over on its starboard side and sank seven miles south of Lafourches coast, setting off a frantic rescue effort in its fourth day Friday. Besides the two who are now confirmed dead and the 11 missing, six from the 19-member crew were rescued. In a dramatic scene late on Tuesday night, Coast Guard rescuers found five crew members on the Seacor Powers hull. Two jumped off the hull and were saved, and two others who were provided with life jackets and radios went back into the ship as stormy conditions complicated rescue efforts. One of those five fell into the water and disappeared from site. It was not immediately clear Friday whether he was the second crew member whose body was found. There was optimism Friday that the two on the hull who went back into the Seacor Power which wasnt completely submerged may be alive in an air pocket and waiting to be rescued. Divers on Thursday identified multiple potential access points into the vessel and hoped to be able to use one to save or recover any missing crew members who may still be aboard. They went to the ship about 7:50 a.m., began diving but then paused because of rough weather conditions, the Coast Guard's statement said. They had started diving again about 1:30 p.m. Friday, the statement added. Viewers of Netflix's Why Did You Kill Me? have been left divided over a mother who used a fake social media account run by her niece to find her daughter's gang murderers - with some critics arguing it was far 'too dangerous' to get the teen involved. Netflix's new true crime documentary 'Why Did You Kill Me?' tells the story of how 24-year-old Crystal Theobald's family used the power of social media to find the gang members who gunned her down in Riverside, California, in February 2006. The victim's mother Belinda Lane witnessed the murder and vowed in Crystal's last breath to avenge her death. Keeping to her word, she enlisted her niece Jaimie, then 14, to make a fake profile for Crystal on the now-defunct MySpace platform in a bid to find answers and get justice for her daughter. And those who tuned in to watch the tragic story unfold were quick to take to social media to express their opinions on a rather determined Belinda. 'Not to be dramatic but Belinda is my absolute hero,' wrote one, while a second instead argued: 'Is it me, or is there something terribly wrong w/Belinda asking Jaime, a minor, to pretend to be Angel & Rebecca and use Crystal's picture to lure GANG MEMBERS in?! I know y'all wanna solve the crime, but that ain't the way. Too dangerous!' 'Why did you kill me?' viewers have praised Crystal Theobold's mother Belinda (pictured) for the way she fought for answers as to why her daughter was killed - and for using social media to track down Crystal's killer Tragedy: In 2006, 24-year-old Crystal (pictured) was gunned down in Riverside, California, while driving with her mother Belinda Lane, brother Justin, and boyfriend Taking to Twitter, one viewer penned: 'Not to be dramatic but Belinda is my absolute hero' (pictured) Mother-of-two Crystal was in the car with Belinda, brother Justin, and boyfriend when their vehicle was sprayed with bullets - with Crystal being fatally shot in the head. 'The last thing I got to say to her, I promised her that I was gonna get 'em. They're gonna pay,' Belinda recalled. During the documentary, one of the investigators working on the case explained that law enforcement was looking for a 'particularly violent gang.' Belinda initiated a plan of secretly investigating suspects on social media after the family was tipped off that the perpetrators were on MySpace. Fake profile: They named the persona they created 'Angel,' and Jaimie would pretend to be her on the platform Taking to Twitter, one viewer branded Belinda 'savage.' Pictured, social media reaction In the documentary, which premiered on April 14, Jaimie recalled: 'Aunt Belinda came up with the idea of making Crystal a MySpace. I said, "I can get information for you."' They named the persona they created 'Angel,' and Jaimie pretended to be her on the social media platform, enticing the men she was talking to into a false sense of security in a bid to withdraw any shred of information that may have helped. 'I was obsessed with it. I knew how to make it look like this girl on MySpace is real,' she admitted. 'It looked like I belonged. My typing was acting. 'Pretending to be her, I think that's what made it difficult at the end. Making someone fall in love with someone who's dead is not a good feeling inside.' Jaimie continued: 'I was just making 'em like me, making 'em trust me before I start being like, "What kind of car do you drive?" The documentary goes on to explore how the line between justice and revenge became blurred for Crystal's mother, who was determined - no matter what it took - for those responsible to pay for her daughter's death. Belinda (pictured) came up with the idea to secretly investigate suspects on social media after the family was tipped off that the perpetrators were on MySpace Some viewers were less accepting of Belinda's actions - and called her out on taking things too far (pictured) 'I'd drive past their houses and go take pictures of the vehicles,' Belinda explained, before later adding: 'I wanted him to hurt like we were hurting.' And speaking of Belinda when trying to bring Crystal's murderers to justice, one person noted she was 'just kind of psycho.' Belinda even went so far as to admit that she wished to murder the men who killed her daughter - despite reassuring her family it would never come to that. 'I told them, "Okay, everybody, no violence,"' Belinda said, 'but in the back of my own mind, I still knew I was gonna kill 'em.' Many fans took to Twitter to praise Belinda's courage in trying to identify and bring her daughter's killer to justice - while others expressed their delight that the former drug addict managed to turn her life around come the end of the documentary. Sleuth: Jaimie (pictured) impersonated her murdered cousin Crystal Theobald on MySpace to help find the gang members who gunned her down 'Belinda is a savage. Legit Mad Maxing,' wrote one, while a second commented: 'Watching #WhyDidYouKillMe on Netflix and Belinda I love you.' A third added: 'Was NOT expecting that from Belinda at the end. Glad she turned it around and found herself,' while a fourth penned: 'Belinda!!! Catfishing on MySpace with a vengeance story,' followed by a crown emoji. A fifth commented: 'Belinda is not to be f****ed with okaaayyy,' while a further wrote: 'Belinda in why did you kill me is such a bad a** lol she's awesome.' However, others were less accepting of Belinda's actions - and called her out on taking things too far, particularly when it came to getting Jaime involved. Caught: William Sotelo, the final suspect to be arrested in 2016, was one of the gang members Jaimie spoke to on MySpace 'Belindas accountability list is getting longer and longer and longer as #WhyDidYouKillMe goes on. I understand shes in so much pain but starting a gang war and putting other peoples lives in danger is INSANITY!' wrote one, while a second commented: 'Aunt Belinda is....the worst. She makes it very hard for me to feel bad for her.' Belinda spent over a decade trying to hunt down Crystal's killers, and eventually, through the fake MySpace profile she started with Jaimie, she was able to communicate with William Sotelo, who was involved in the shooting. In 2006, detectives brought him in for a voluntary interview, where he offered up information that moved along the investigation. However, police still didn't have enough evidence to detain him at the time, and he vanished almost as quickly as he had appeared. Belinda continued to seek information on Sotelo's whereabouts on social media, and in 2014, she received a tip that said Sotelo was in Mexico. She forwarded the information to detectives, who worked with the FBI and Mexican authorities to track him down. Solito, who was the final suspect in the 2006 drive-by shooting, was arrested in Mexico in 2016. He and several others had been driving around in two vehicles, seeking to avenge a shooting from earlier that day. Investigators said it was possible they mistook the car Crystal was in for one belonging to a rival gang. Julio Heredia, the man convicted of pulling the trigger, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2011. Ten other defendants pleaded guilty to various different charges - including everything from gang and gun charges to witness intimidation and attempted murder. A Canadian company is recalling 6,804 pounds of its ready-to-eat ham because it may be contaminated with salmonella enteritidis, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Services. Olymel S.E.C./L.P., of Quebec, Canada, packaged the products on Nov. 5, 2020. The ham was shipped to distributors in California and then distributed further from there. The recalled products are: Celebrity Extra Lean Imported Ham, 98% fat free, 12-pound plastic film vacuum package with product codes 20309 11 91, 20309 21 91, 20309 31 91 or 20309 51 91. The FSIS said, The problem was discovered when FSIS collected a routine product import sample that confirmed positive for the presence of salmonella Enteritidis. The product subject to recall was determined by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to be associated with the FSIS positive sample result. No illnesses have been reported. The FSIS said salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 6 hours to 6 days after eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider. Consumers who have the ham in their refrigerators or freezers are urged to thrown it away or return to the place of purchase for a refund. For more information, contact Richard Vigneault, Media Relations for Olymel S.E.C./L.P., at 514-497-1385 or send an email to rvigneau@videotron.ca. READ MORE By one major social equity measure, it appears legalization was less successful than intended in Chicago. Despite legalization, which was meant to reduce historic discrepancies in arrest rates, Blacks made up more than three-fourths of those arrested in Chicago for marijuana possession in 2020, compared with 18% for Latinos and 4% for whites. Most arrests were for possessing or trying to sell more than the legally allowed 30 grams without a license. WASHINGTON, D. C. - Bainbridge Township Republican Rep. Dave Joyce on Thursday joined fellow Congressional Cannabis Caucus co-chairs in introducing a bill to lift a federal ban on doctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from discussing, recommending or prescribing medical marijuana in states where its legal. Because marijuana remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance under federal law, VA doctors arent allowed to discuss it with their patients or prescribe it, Joyces office said. The legislation Joyce is co-sponsoring with California Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee and Hawaii Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz would also create a five-year safe harbor protection for both veterans who use medical marijuana and their doctors. It would also direct the VA to research the effects that medical marijuana has on veterans who are experiencing pain, as well as the relationship between medical marijuana programs and a potential reduction in opioid abuse among veterans. It would allot $15 million to get the program going. A statement from Joyce said evidence indicates medical cannabis can be used to treat chronic pain and post traumatic stress disorder, which affect many veterans. If a state has made it legal, like Ohio has, the federal government should not be preventing a VA doctor from recommending medical cannabis if they believe that treatment is right for their patient, Joyces statement said. As the son of a World War II veteran who was wounded on the battlefield, Ive seen firsthand the many challenges our nations heroes face when they return home. In 36 states, doctors and their patients have the option to use medical marijuana to manage pain unless those doctors work for the VA and their patients are veterans, said a statement from Schatz. This bill protects veteran patients in these states and gives their VA doctors the option to prescribe medical marijuana to veterans, and it also promises to shed light on how medical marijuana can help with the nations opioid epidemic. Groups that support this legislation include: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), VoteVets, Minority Veterans of America, Veterans Cannabis Coalition, Veterans Cannabis Project, National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), NORML, National Cannabis Roundtable, U.S. Pain Foundation, Drug Policy Alliance, Americans for Safe Access (ASA), Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Veterans Initiative 22, Arizona Dispensary Association, California Cannabis Industry Association, and Hawaii Cannabis Industry Association, Joyces office said. Read more: U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez has double the campaign war chest of Trump-backed challenger Max Miller Rep. Jim Jordan clashes with Anthony Fauci over freedom at House hearing Rep. Jim Jordan joins effort to cancel Major League Baseballs antitrust exemption after its decision to move the All-Star game Cleveland nonprofit gets federal grant to help local manufacturers respond to the coronavirus pandemic John Boehners political memoir disses Trump and Tea Party but avoids Ohio controversies White House says Biden infrastructure bill would improve Ohios roads and bridges HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge releases $5 billion to fight homelessness Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur joins Capitol riot lawsuit against Donald Trump, Proud Boys and Oath Keepers Sen. Sherrod Brown wants repeal of corporate tax provisions he says export jobs Nina Turner collects $2.2 million for congressional bid Jim Jordans campaign explains large errors on its Federal Election Commission reports Former Ohio GOP chair Jane Timken raises $2.1 million for U.S. Senate bid The White House reversed itself on Friday and said Joe Biden would raise the refugee cap by May 15 after allies and progressives blasted the president for keeping it at the historically low rate of 15,000 set by Donald Trump. After liberals like Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, along with staunch allies like Senator Dick Durbin, criticized the president, White House press secretary Jen Psaki issued a statement, arguing Biden's executive order 'has been the subject of some confusion.' She said after consulting with advisers, the president realized the US could not accept 62,500 refugees - his original goal - and she blamed the Trump administration for 'the decimated refugee admissions program we inherited.' 'For the past few weeks, he has been consulting with his advisors to determine what number of refugees could realistically be admitted to the United States between now and October 1. Given the decimated refugee admissions program we inherited, and burdens on the Office of Refugee Resettlement, his initial goal of 62,500 seems unlikely,' Psaki said. She said the cap would be increased for the remainder of the fiscal year and that number would be released by May 15. 'We expect the President to set a final, increased refugee cap for the remainder of this fiscal year by May 15,' Psaki said. The White House reversed itself on Friday and said Joe Biden would raise the refugee cap by May 15 after allies and progressives blasted the president for keeping it at the historically low rate of 15,000 set by Donald Trump White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden's executive order on refugees 'has been the subject of some confusion' as she put out a statement on matter after Dem outrage Statement on refugees Press Secretary Jen Psaki released a statement on President Biden's refugee cap after Democratic outrage Biden kept the number at 15,000: The Presidents directive today has been the subject of some confusion. Last week, he sent to Congress his budget for the fiscal year starting in October 2021, which honors his commitment. For the past few weeks, he has been consulting with his advisors to determine what number of refugees could realistically be admitted to the United States between now and October 1. Given the decimated refugee admissions program we inherited, and burdens on the Office of Refugee Resettlement, his initial goal of 62,500 seems unlikely. While finalizing that determination, the President was urged to take immediate action to reverse the Trump policy that banned refugees from many key regions, to enable flights from those regions to begin within days; todays order did that. With that done, we expect the President to set a final, increased refugee cap for the remainder of this fiscal year by May 15. Advertisement Friday's announcement that Biden signed an executive order keeping the refugee cap at 15,000 - after promising during his campaign and presidency to raise it - sent shockwaves through Democrats, who had wanted Biden to move swiftly to reverse the policies of Trump, who had set the 15,000 cap as a way to limit immigration. Omar, who fled with her family from Somalia when she was young and spent four years in a Kenya refugee camp, criticized Biden for his decision. 'As a refugee, I know finding a home is a matter of life or death for children around the world. It is shameful that @POTUS is reneging on a key promise to welcome refugees,' she wrote on Twitter. 'There are simply no excuses for todays disgraceful decision. It goes directly against our values and risks the lives of little boys and girls huddled in refugee camps around the world. I know, because I was one,' she noted. Omar was a part of a group of Democratic lawmakers, who, earlier on Friday renewed appeals for Biden to raise the cap. Ocasio-Cortez slammed Biden for upholding 'the xenophobic and racist policies of the Trump' era. 'Completely and utterly unacceptable,' she tweeted. 'Biden promised to welcome immigrants, and people voted for him based on that promise. Upholding the xenophobic and racist policies of the Trump admin, incl the historically low + plummeted refugee cap, is flat out wrong. Keep your promise.' And Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the head of the Progressive Caucus, echoed her words. 'It is simply unacceptable and unconscionable that the Biden Administration is not immediately repealing Donald Trumps harmful, xenophobic, and racist refugee cap,' Jayapal said in a statement. Durbin, a close White House ally, wrote on Twitter: 'Say it aint so, President Joe. This is unacceptable.' 'Refugees wait years for their chance and go through extensive vetting35,000 are ready today. I urge the Biden Administration to reconsider this decision and stick to their promise of increasing refugee admissions,' he added. Liberals, including Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar (left) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (right), immediately criticized Biden's decision In February, Biden committed to raising the cap. Secretary of State Antony Blinken notified Congress on Feb. 12 that the administration planned to allow up to 62,500 refugees to enter the country in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. But, on Friday, it was announced the cap would stay in place. The White House had been asked repeatedly in recent days when Biden planned to raise it. Biden's decision to delay issuing the revised refugee cap for this year appeared tied to concerns over the optics of admitting more refugees amid rising levels of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months, and to not wanting to look 'too open' or 'soft,' another U.S. official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the administration is committed to rebuilding the refugee program and building back up the cap. 'America needs to rebuild our refugee resettlement program,' he wrote on Twitter. 'We will use all 15,000 slots under the new Determination and work with Congress on increasing admissions and building back to the numbers to which weve committed.' And Psaki argued Biden's order lifts restrictions put in place by Trump on where refugees can come from. 'This step lifts the restrictions put in place by prior Administration on where refugees can come from. We need to rebuild resettlement program and we are committed to continuing to increase refugee numbers,' she tweeted. Under an emergency presidential determination signed by Biden, the United States will offer refugee status to a wider part of the world than had been allowed by Trump. The United States would use all 15,000 slots under the Biden order and that officials were prepared to consult with Congress should there be a need to increase the number of admissions to address unforeseen emergencies. Under Biden's new plan, the 15,000 slots would be allocated this way: 7,000 for Africa 1,000 for East Asia 1,500 for Europe and Central Asia 3,000 from Latin America and the Caribbean 1,500 from the Near East and South Asia 1,000 for an unallocated reserve The Biden team's review of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program it inherited from the previous administration revealed 'it was even more decimated than wed thought, requiring a major overhaul in order to build back toward the numbers to which weve committed,' the official said. 'That build-back is and has been happening and will enable us to support much increased admissions numbers in future years,' the official said. Refugee advocates said they were disappointed by the news, saying it was unjustified given that there are 35,000 refugees who have already been security vetted and cleared for entry to the United States and that there are 100,000 at various stages in the pipeline. They said there is still an incredible need that Biden's decision will not address. Advocates did say that changing the Trump-era allocations could allow for a wider group of refugees to be reconsidered for resettlement. In February, Biden had committed to allowing up to 62,500 refugees to enter the country in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 - above Ethiopians are seen at Um Rakuba refugee camp in February after they escaped the Sudan Refugee groups had expressed frustration that Biden had delayed issuing the cap, which had left refugees who were scheduled to travel stranded. Mark Hetfield, president of the HIAS resettlement agency, said that around 700 flights were canceled due to the holdup. 'They have lost two months of processing,' he said, adding that the delays came on top of pandemic-related restrictions for immigration interviews that had also stalled admissions. The International Rescue Committee in a statement called it 'a disturbing and unjustified retreat' from Biden's earlier pledge, and said that at the current rate of admissions the administration is on track to resettle the lowest number of refugees of any president in U.S. history.' 'This is a time of unprecedented global need, and the U.S. is still far from returning to its historic role of safe haven for the worlds persecuted and most vulnerable,' said David Miliband, the New York-based organization's president and chief executive. Advocates had been pushing for the administration to change the allocation put in place by Trump, which created new categories for refugees subject to religious persecution. The move comes after Biden signed an executive order pledging to dramatically increase the number of refugees admitted in the 2022 fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1, 2021, to 125,000. Refugee admissions reached historic lows under Trump, who portrayed refugees as a security threat and made limiting the number of immigrants allowed into the United States a hallmark of his presidency. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 15) Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano is back after three months of taking time off from work for health reasons, including heart surgery. Ano already got his clearance from his doctors and will work at home starting Friday before eventually going back to his normal routine, said Jonathan Malaya, spokesman of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. After more than three months of grueling struggle, including a heart operation, the Secretary is well, in high spirits, and ready to reassume his duties in the Department as well as in the National Task Force COVID-19 and in the IATF-EID, Malaya shared in a statement. Ano was also hospitalized in August 2020 after confirming he again tested positive for COVID-19. He took a leave of absence in January this year following the advice of doctors to rest and to further undergo tests. He was the first Cabinet member to confirm he contracted the virus when he tested positive in March 2020. Interior Undersecretary Bernardo Florece served as officer-in-charge of the DILG while Ano was on leave. Deliveroo's founder has defended the company's shambolic float and its business model in the face of stinging criticism. Will Shu, who is also chief executive, has had a difficult couple of weeks after the takeaway delivery firm's shares tanked on its stock market debut and large fund managers raised concerns over how its riders are treated. But the 41-year-old was defiant, saying he was proud the company had listed in London and that investors will come to see the value in the long term. On call: Will Shu has had a difficult couple of weeks after the takeaway delivery firm's shares tanked on its stock market debut 'It's true we have faced a number of challenges over the past couple of weeks,' he said. 'I'm just focused on what I can control and I can't control the short term share price. Maybe the conditions weren't the best.' He also defended the company's business model, saying: 'From my perspective we do what the riders want. They have a phone and a bike, they are working part-time and they log in and out whenever they want.' But shares were back under pressure, falling 3.8 per cent, after the firm admitted growth will slow now that lockdown has ended. Shu added: 'The truth is that we don't know how things will turn out in the UK and how much these new consumer behaviours will stick, but we are really positive.' Brooklyn Center is the site of the death of Daunte Wright and of the revolution for the hell of it mob that has followed in its wake. A joint law enforcement task force formed for the Derek Chauvin trial has been dispatched to protect the Brooklyn Center Police Department over the past several nights. Brooklyn Center Mayor Michael Elliott has seized the opportunity to take control of city management and the police department. He perfectly represents the leadership class of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. During an emergency Brooklyn Center city council meeting last night reported here Crystal Police Chief Stephanie Revering read a letter to the council, pleading for support which is, shall we say, notable by its absence. Revering is president of the Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association. The linked report indicates that the council went into a closed session after the reading of the letter. This is the letter in its entirety: Mr. Mayor and Council Members, My name is Stephanie Revering and I am the police chief in the City of Crystal and the current President of the Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association. I am here tonight to discuss with you the mission and purpose of the West Command Mobile Field Force. The West Command Mobile Field Force is made up of representative officers from all 27 suburban law enforcement agencies in suburban Hennepin County. The mission of this collaborative team is to provide a rapid deployment of highly trained law enforcement personnel to preserve life, ensure public safety, protect property, and maintain quality of life throughout Greater Hennepin County. This team of officers, and all of the agencies they represent, are very committed to working hard to protect lawful first amendment protests and demonstrations, while ensuring those gatherings remain non-violent and safe for those in attendance. Over the last 4 nights, while working very hard to protect those who were peacefully protesting and the residents of Brooklyn Center, our officers (along with our partners from the Hennepin County Sheriffs Office, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota DNR, and the Minnesota National Guard) were faced with many dangerous and violent situations. Officers had projectiles and industrial-grade fireworks thrown at them, along with being sprayed with mace and bear spray. A number of these officers, all of whom who have come from outside of Brooklyn Center to help your community, have sustained various levels of injury. As Police Chiefs, we can not stand by and allow our officers to be injured by individuals trying to disrupt your communitys right for peaceful protest. In addition, officers have heard numerous comments by individuals in the crowds suggesting a desire by some to vandalize or burn down the Brooklyn Center Police Department and our officers have been working diligently to protect your community asset. We remain very committed to the city of Brooklyn Center and your residents and will do everything we can to help your community through these difficult times and to begin the long process ahead of healing, but we are only able to do our part with the unequivocal support of the leaders of this city in our mission as highlighted above. This support includes an understanding that officers, under a unified command structure, must be able to use all tools necessary to accomplish the mission listed above. And it must be understood that these tools may include the judicious use less lethal options to accomplish the mission. The Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association implores the Brooklyn Center City Council to support the West Command Mobile Field Force, along with the Hennepin County Sheriffs Office and the other law enforcement partners, in the current unrest occurring within your city. It is imperative that this support include policy decisions, as well as in sentiments made to the public and media so the shared goal of encouraging and facilitating peaceful demonstrations by the community to continue. Our collective ability to continue to provide scarce resources depends on this partnership with you. Thank you for your time. I ask interested readers to compare and contrast Chief Reverings letter with the insipid, spineless, question-begging Star Tribune editorial of this date on the underlying events. Tsoukernik vs. Zuckerberg; King's Resort Owner Sues Facebook April 16, 2021 Will Shillibier Leon Tsoukernik, owner of King's Resort, Rozvadov is suing Facebook for $24,000,000 worth of damages after a series of fake mobile adverts. The lawsuit was first reported by Hospodarske noviny, a Czech daily newspaper, with Tsoukernik claiming eight figures in damages to the casino's "brand and reputation." # Leon Tsoukernik sues Facebook! King's Resort (@PokerroomKings) Reputation and Brand of King's Damaged Less than four weeks ago, Europe's largest card room warned on its website that malicious mobile adverts for online casinos were using pictures of King's Resort to encourage players to download the app, offering players a CZK 3,000 (115/$138) bonus when they signed up. The adverts featured the phrase "The best Czech casino is now online!" The only problem being that King's Resort does not operate an online casino, Tsoukernik told Hospodarske noviny, a Czech daily newspaper. "Someone who cannot be traced and therefore doesn't even have a license to operate has decided to use our name, our casino, and advertise on Facebook," said Tsoukernik. "As a result, [Facebook] is helping fraudsters and takes money for it. That's why we're suing [them] for harm." Pictures courtesy of King's Casino Today King's Resort Twitter account said that they had been forced into legal action. Because only licensed online casinos are allowed in the Czech Republic, Facebook has a duty to check these licenses while sites and operators would have to prove to Facebook that they owned licenses in order for them to continue operating Facebook pages. Related: King's Resort Owner Leon Tsoukernik Scoops $1.5m Slots Jackpot Facebook "Negligent" Claims King's This is where things get interesting. According to the report, King's Resort have requested multiple times to have these fake adverts removed, as King's does not own an online casino and are in no way affiliated with these mobile adverts. Tsoukernik says that they've approached Facebook and asked for the adverts to be removed, but had heard nothing back, leading to King's Resort opting to sue for 20,000,000 in damages they say as a result of Facebook's negligence. "In other media, if we want to advertise, they require us to prove the license, trademarks for the logo and the like," said Tsoukernik. "Even two years ago, Facebook demanded it from us, so I don't understand how they can release such fraudulent advertising." Tsoukernik vs. Kirk This is not the first time Tsoukernik has been involved in a claim for millions, with Australian high-stakes poker player Matt Kirk previously suing him for $2m as a result of an unpaid loan from a heads-up match between the pair. Tsoukernik then counterclaimed against both Kirk and the ARIA Resort & Casino, alleging that the Aria or individuals connected to the casino were backing Kirk financially. King's Resort Remains Closed Although due to host the 2021 WSOP Europe from November 19 to December 8, King's Resort has been closed for several months. It had reopened in May 2020 after a two-month closure, but there has been no announcement when the largest card room in Europe will reopen for 2021. Last week the World Socialist Web Site published an article, Ex-Unite activists call on London bus drivers to join RMT: From the frying pan, into the frying pan. We explained that switching unions would solve nothing and that efforts to promote the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union as more left-wing and militant than Unite were a snow job. South West Railway workers four-year battle against Driver Only Operated trains has been sold out by the RMT (credit: RMT) Whether under left-wing or right-wing leadership, we wrote, todays trade unions function as corporatist partners of the employers and the state, ruthlessly enforcing pro-market reform against the working class. This is a universal process, reflected in the evolution of union organisations on a world scale. London bus drivers are fully justified in cancelling their membership of Unite. Drivers have left the union in droves over its naked collusion with the bus operators and Transport for London (TfL). Unites pro-company actions and partnership with Boris Johnsons Conservative government and Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan to keep London moving during the pandemic, has cost the lives of more than 60 bus workers. According to former Unite activists such as James Rossi, the RMT is a proper fighting union. They argue that if enough drivers join the RMT, the employers will be forced to recognise it and negotiate better pay, conditions and safety. This is a fairy tale. Last Thursday, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash wrote a letter making clear RMTs absolute defence of Unite and repudiation of its newfound cheerleaders and their recruitment drive. The RMT will not and should not be encouraging or attempting to recruit individuals based at companies where Unite have a sole recognition agreement, Cash wrote to a former Unite activist on the London buses. Unite hold the Collective Bargaining Agreement for a number of bus companies operating in and around the London area and where we receive applications from these workers, we will continue to advise individuals that this is the case. Cashs letter upheld the sanctity of a Collective Bargaining Agreement that has imposed crushing conditions on drivers, including dangerous shift patterns, the introduction of Remote Sign On and zero-hours contracts. He revealed that the Trades Union Congress and Unite had written to the RMT, regarding the recruitment and poaching of bus workers and cited the responsibility of all affiliates of the TUC to uphold stable trade union structures. He wrote, I am therefore instructing you to cease undertaking any further recruitment activity, or activities which could be perceived as encouraging colleagues working at Unite covered bus garages to join the RMT. Cashs letter exposes the absurd tributes to the RMT and the laughable claims by RMT leadership contender Steve Hedley that his union is socialist, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment. The RMT upholds the corporatist framework of union recognition introduced by the Tory government in 1992 and is hostile to any challenge from the rank-and-file. Although the right to form a trade union is recognised in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 11 of the European Court of Human Rights, workers in Britain have no automatic right to establish a trade union. Under the Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act (1992), where employers and unions have failed to reach agreement on voluntary recognition the state decides whether to accept or reject applications. A Central Arbitration Committee (CAC)a UK government bodydecides which unions will be recognised to negotiate with employers on terms, conditions and pay. The CACs most recent chairman, Stephen Redmond, was appointed by Tory Business Minister Margot James in 2017. CAC guidelines explain, CAC Chairman, Mr Stephen Redmond, appoints a panel of 3 people to decide each application. Each panel consists of a Deputy Chair, one Employer Member and one Worker Member. Appointments to the CAC are made by the Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy. Among the employer appointees is David Cadger, HR Director at Serco Group, Kieran Grimshaw, former HR Director at easyJet, and Tom Keeney, Employee Relations Director at BT Group. The worker appointees include Ian Hanson (retired), former chair of the Greater Manchester Police Federation, Paul Noon OBE, former General Secretary of the Prospect union, and Steve Gillan, General Secretary of the Prison Officers Association and a member of the TUC General Council. The TUCs commitment to state control of trade unions is enshrined in its Disputes Principles and Procedures. Its rule book cites Schedule 1 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 upholding the powers of the CAC and of the TUCs role in the recognition process. The CAC has the power to de-recognise trade unions, with Home Secretary Priti Patel also able to veto applications. The state has had little cause to exercise such powers in view of the trade unions central role in suppressing strikes over the past three and half decades. Efforts to promote the RMT are a hopeless political improvisation. Just this past week, the RMT finalised its betrayal of the four-year struggle by rail drivers and conductors against Driver Only Operated (DOO) trains. RMT officials agreed with South Western Railway executives to downgrade the safety-critical role of conductors in opening and closing train doors, relegating this role to the driver and jeopardising passenger safety. Faced with such a shabby record, Rossi and his RMT fan club have resorted to censorship against the WSWS. After the London Bus Rank-and-File Committees Miles Driver posted a link to the WSWS article on Rossis Facebook group, We the London Bus Drivers Want Change Now!!, the post was rejected by administrators. Miles replied with a message to Rossi explaining, The purpose of the WSWS article is to try and clarify some fundamental issues facing bus workers asking, Has my post been declined accidentally? Rossi replied with a voicemail message confirming he had blocked the article because of its exposure of the RMT. He falsely claimed that WSWS had described the RMT as racist, before stating his agreement with the RMTs nationalist campaign against foreign ownership of British railways. Pointing to Arrivas ownership by German company Deutsche Bahn, Rossi stated, All those companies do is take the profits out of the country all the money went to Germany. There is an objective connection between Rossis nationalist politics and his attempts to suppress the WSWS and the London Bus Rank-and-File Committee. Mick Cash (credit: RMT) At its heart, economic nationalism is an attempt to subordinate the working class to the profit interests of the national capitalist class. Rossi and the RMT denounce foreign ownership, choosing to ignore the brutal slashing of workers wages and conditions by British companies. British headquartered Go Ahead runs 70 percent of bus routes in the UK and its train franchises include Govia Thameslink Railway, Southeastern and London Midland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange with revenue of 3.8 billion. Is Rossi suggesting the profits made by UK companies trickle down to workers, as promised by Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan 40 years ago? It is an axiom of Marxism that the working class is an international class whose unity must be consciously fought for by socialists against all forms of nationalism and racism. Seeking to block any discussion among bus workers on these issues, Rossi and his supporters have resorted to censorship and lies about the WSWS and the London Bus Rank-and-File Committee. After another driver posted a copy of our article on Rossis Facebook group, Rossi replied, WSWC [sic] want all unions abolished. He was backed by Gerry Downing, a notorious pseudo-left apologist for the union bureaucracy, who claimed WSWS was scabby for describing todays trade unions as part of corporate management, adding, Abolishing trade unions is what a fascist government would do. Downing attacked the formation of rank-and-file committees of bus drivers, independent of the unions, writing, do form militant trade unions but WITHIN the unions, not outside. Downing is utterly hostile to any movement of workers independent of the bureaucracy. Any genuine rank-and-file committee developing within the trade unions would immediately collide with the unions corporatist arrangements with the employers and the state, leading to the expulsion and the victimisation of its members. Indeed, last year Unite suspended some of its own health and safety reps for daring to criticise lead official for buses, John Murphy. It should be noted in this regard that Rossi and his fellow activists promotion of the RMT is not their first fools errand. Only four months ago, he was reverse-peddling on a petition he launched calling for the resignation of Murphy. After Murphy agreed to attend a ZOOM meeting, Rossi promptly capitulated, declaring, This is not the time to leave the union. Its good that Johns coming, he stated, so lets all be civil, respectful and polite. It is the responsibility of Marxists to encourage forms of organisation that facilitate the struggle of the working class, not retard it by promoting illusions in corporatist trade unions. In 1937, Leon Trotskyco-leader of the 1917 Russian Revolutiondiscussed the scientific criteria employed by Marxists in reaching a definition of the trade unions. He wrote, The character of a workers organization such as a trade union is determined by its relation to the distribution of national income. The fact that Green and Company [anti-communist leaders of the American Federation of Labour] defend private property in the means of production characterizes them as bourgeois. Should these gentlemen in addition defend the income of the bourgeoisie from attacks on the part of the workers; should they conduct a struggle against strikes, against the raising of wages, against help to the unemployed; then we would have an organization of scabs, and not a trade union. In the above case cited by Trotsky, the American trade unions still functioned as defence organisations for workers, despite their pro-capitalist leadership. Todays trade unions have been transformed into appendages of the state and corporate management, dedicated to policing their own members and suppressing the class struggleredistributing wealth away from the working class into the coffers of a parasitic financial oligarchy. Where strikes do break out, such as those at Manchester Go North West and RATP Dev in London, or against DOO, the unions work to isolate and wear them down, pledging concessions at the direct expense of pay, terms and conditions. In his 1940 essay, Marxism and the Trade Unions, Trotsky analysed the corporatist development of the trade unions, defined as their drawing closely to and growing together with the state power. Corporatism developed on the basis of imperialismthe final stage of capitalismthat saw free trade supplanted by monopolies, trade war and military conflict, shattering the basis for reforms, and requiring the suppression of the working class and all forms of democracy. Trotsky observed, By transforming the trade unions into organs of the state, fascism invents nothing new; it merely draws to their ultimate conclusion the tendencies inherent in imperialism. It is these objective processes, rooted in the development of capitalism, that make necessary rank-and-file workplace committees, independent of the unions. Such committees have vast potential to unite workers across key sectors and across national borders against capitalism and for the socialist reorganisation of world economy. We urge bus and transport workers who agree with this perspective to get in touch and join the committee. (AMF Autorite des Marches Financiers) Regulatory News: Genkyotex (Paris:GKTX) (Brussels:GKTX): Genkyotex shares ISIN code FR00011790542 Euronext Paris Brussels Date Number of shares making up the share capital Number of voting rights March 31, 2021 14,083,408 Theoretical number of voting rights(1): 14,083,408 Number of voting rights exercisable at a shareholders' meeting(2): 14,074,165 (1) In accordance with Article 223-111 of the AMF's General Regulation, this number of shares is calculated based on all shares carrying the right to vote, including those stripped of voting rights. (2) Less shares stripped of voting rights. About Genkyotex Genkyotex is the leading biopharmaceutical company in NOX therapies, listed on the Euronext Paris and Euronext Brussels markets. Its unique platform enables the identification of orally available small-molecules which selectively inhibit specific NOX enzymes that amplify multiple disease processes such as fibrosis, inflammation, pain processing, cancer development, and neurodegeneration. Genkyotex is developing a pipeline of first-in-class product candidates targeting one or multiple NOX enzymes. The lead product candidate, setanaxib (GKT831), a NOX1 and NOX4 inhibitor has shown evidence of anti-fibrotic activity in a Phase II clinical trial in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, a fibrotic orphan disease). Based on its positive Phase II results, a phase 3 trial with setanaxib in PBC is being planned. Setanaxib is also being evaluated in an investigator-initiated Phase II clinical trial in Type 1 Diabetes and Kidney Disease (DKD). A grant from the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) of $8.9 million was awarded to Professor Victor Thannickal at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to fund a multi-year research program evaluating the role of NOX enzymes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic lung disease that results in fibrosis of the lungs. The core component of this program is a Phase 2 trial with setanaxib in patients with IPF scheduled to recruit patients in first semester of 2020. This product candidate may also be active in other fibrotic indications. Genkyotex also has a versatile platform well-suited to the development of various immunotherapies (Vaxiclase). A partnership covering the use of Vaxiclase as an antigen per se (GTL003) has been established with Serum Institute of India Private Ltd (Serum Institute), the world's largest producer of vaccine doses, for the development by Serum Institute of cellular multivalent combination vaccines against a variety of infectious diseases For further information, please go to www.genkyotex.com or investors@genkyotex.com Disclaimer This press release may contain forward-looking statements by the company with respect to its objectives. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs, estimates and expectations of Genkyotex's management and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as the company's ability to implement its chosen strategy, customer market trends, changes in technologies and in the company's competitive environment, changes in regulations, clinical or industrial risks and all risks linked to the company's growth. These factors as well as other risks and uncertainties may prevent the company from achieving the objectives outlined in the press release and actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, due to various factors. Without being exhaustive, such factors include uncertainties involved in the development of Genkyotex's products, which may not succeed, or in the delivery of Genkyotex's products marketing authorizations by the relevant regulatory authorities and, in general, any factor that could affects Genkyotex's capacity to commercialize the products it develops. No guarantee is given on forward-looking statements which are subject to a number of risks, notably those described in the universal registration document filed with the AMF on April 30, 2020 under number 20-0434, and those linked to changes in economic conditions, the financial markets, or the markets on which Genkyotex is present. Genkyotex products are currently used for clinical trials only and are not otherwise available for distribution or sale View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210416005261/en/ Contacts: Genkyotex DEARBORN - In the early days of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, leaders in Michigans Muslim communities found themselves in a fight against negative messaging surrounding immunization, said Imam Ibrahim Kazerooni of the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn. Initial concerns involved myths about vaccines altering DNA (they dont) or containing pig parts (there are no animal products in the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines). The consumption of pork products is forbidden in Islam. Read more: No, the COVID-19 vaccine will not change your DNA How did Kazerooni and Metro Detroits Muslim community fight these myths? Trust. Once they realized all the imams of the center have been vaccinated, gotten scheduled for it and accepted to be vaccinated, then people felt at ease, he said. In our community, it was primarily those negative conspiracy theories that were the main reason for people feeling apprehensive or hesitant... but once all the imams, doctors, physicians, health care workers got their vaccines... people felt more comfortable. Long-established cultural and civic organizations in Muslim and Arab communities know best how to navigate cultural barriers and earn trust, said Mona Makki, director of community health and research at the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS). It doesnt matter how good your product is if theres not a relationship and trust among the people, Makki said. The state is just starting to track vaccination data by Arab ethnicity, and there are no significant numbers available for COVID-19 immunization among Muslims, but targeted outreach efforts in local communities have shown some quantifiable success. Combing through some stray numbers Michigan is in the early stages of tracking vaccine doses administered to Arab residents, said Lynn Sutfin, spokeswoman for the states Department of Health and Human Services. As of April 14, it shows only 395 Arab residents have received their two shots. This is the amount that we have data on for these doses, Sutfin said. We continue to work with ACCESS to ensure that all information is flowing through. Based on numbers from just two local organizations, ACCESS and the Islamic Center of America, the actual numbers are much higher. ACCESS administered more than 10,000 doses entering the week of Monday, April 12, Makki said, with about a third of those going to people of Middle Eastern or North African descent. Those numbers will grow this week due to four more clinics planned at the organizations community health center, 6450 Maple St. in Dearborn. Over the last month, the Islamic Center has administered about 2,500 shots, said Mirvat Kadouh, vice chair of the mosques board of trustees. While the mobile clinics are open to all comers, much of the services cater to Muslim-practicing and Arab-speaking residents, she and Kazerooni said. Additionally, the federally run clinics at Ford Field in Detroit have administered about 20% of its 67,000 shots to people who identified as Asian. With no category for Arab ethnicity on forms filled out by vaccine recipients at that site, its likely many Arab Americans identified as either white or Asian, said a FEMA data representative. Read more: Ford Field was supposed to serve Black Detroiters. Instead, the rest of Michigan took advantage. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey estimates Michigans Arab American population at about 221,631. The Census does not track data on religious affiliation. Sarah Naamou assets with Moderna Covid-19 vaccine distribution at Access in Dearborn on Tuesday April, 13, 2021. Nicole Hester/ MLive.com Catering and messaging to the local population ACCESS started its vaccination program to help bridge cultural and language divides and attempt to fix what was initially a discouraging process. We saw there was an effort through the health systems to get people vaccinated in Dearborn, she said. The problem was that the system and the way (it) was set up was that you needed to make appointments online. That created a barrier for the Arab American community, because for a lot of them, theres a language barrier -- they dont know how to use the technology or people had to wait hours and hours on the phone. That led to the organization applying for a spot in Michigans federal vaccine pilot program, which allowed some local groups to set up their own vaccination programs in an effort toward more equitable distribution. Read more: State to release 35,800 COVID-19 vaccine doses to 22 entities for more equitable distribution ACCESS partners with Meijer, Henry Ford Health System and FEMA to administer vaccines. Mariam Beydoun, a 30-year-old Dearborn Heights woman with an autoimmune disorder, said the ACCESS clinics are well-staffed and offer a seamless experience. The process didnt take more than a half hour, Beydoun said. Everyone was super friendly, she said. The whole thing was really organized, really easy and it made me feel more relaxed about getting it. Beydoun heard about the clinic through a Facebook seminar ACCESS hosted with Henry Ford Health and local religious leaders. The goal was to not only advertise vaccination opportunities, but to confirm the vaccines safety to community members and clarify support among religious leaders for getting vaccinated. In fact, for Muslims, its a religious duty to protect yourself and one another from danger, Kazerooni said while urging vaccination. We have a principle within our laws that anything that is harmful or could harm others should be avoided, and anything that would help others and would help oneself (should be embraced), he said. This is the basis on which the grand scholars have centered. There are edicts regarding this particular thing. The sermons and seminars have helped ease skepticism around the COVID-19 vaccine among many, Beydoun said, though concerns still exist about being vaccinated while fasting during Ramadan, which began this week. I know people went to a forum where Muslim religious leaders (went over) how getting the shot wont break your fast, she said. ACCESS plans to hold a late clinic Friday, April 16 at 8 p.m. to accommodate those who want to be vaccinated after breaking fast at sundown. At the Islamic Center of America, Kazerooni worked with Henry Ford Health specialists to dispel myths about the vaccine containing pork products and openly tells his followers to get vaccinated. This vaccine is not food-oriented or some kind of vitamin, he said. When we gave people the green light that even if their second shot happened to come during the month of fasting, its not going to negate your fast. People are now more comfortable coming forward without thinking they have to wait. The Islamic Center holds clinics every Monday, Kadouh said, as well as supplemental clinics whenever possible. About 600-900 vaccinations a week have been administered over the last month, she said. The clinics, staffed by volunteers from the center and Henry Ford Health specialists, have been booked up two weeks in advance. A lot of people like to come to the mosque, because its a place of trust, she said. To accommodate the congregations most devout women, there are female nurses and volunteers available to help avoid contact with men, as well as areas of the mosque designed for maximum privacy, Kazerooni said. It makes life easier within our community for our female sisters, he said. Even though the Arab community makes up about 1% of Michigans population, Kazerooni said every single vaccination helps Michigan take a step toward its goal of immunizing 70% of the population by the end of the year. To be able to facilitate a speedy achievement of that (70%) marker, which is so critical in protecting our society, I say it in my sermons... its a community and collaborative effort if were really going to make a dent into this. Read more from MLive: More than 3.3M Michiganders have had first dose of COVID-19 vaccine Collaboration helps with COVID vaccination outreach with Black, Latino residents in Washtenaw County Whitmer says Michigans COVID-19 surge is due to variants and non-compliance, not a policy problem Heres what we know about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause A mask shouldnt have a political party, says GOP leader who thinks he caught COVID-19 at Republican meeting Long Covid continues to stump doctors and exhaust those fighting months-long battles (Natural News) The drug industry has asked President Joe Bidens administration to punish Colombia, India, South Africa and other countries that want to produce coronavirus vaccines without permission from the manufacturers, according to a recent report from GreatGameIndia. The drug industry has filed several documents with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the federal agency responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade and overseeing negotiations with other countries. The filed documents outlined the alleged threat posed by some countries attempts to challenge manufacturers basic intellectual property protections in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Also included in the latest filings are the drug industrys specific demands to influence the agencys Special 301 report. This report, prepared annually by the USTR, reflects the outcome of a Congressionally-mandated annual review of the global state of intellectual property (IP) rights. Every year, the USTR allows the public to comment on countries that fail to protect and uphold IP rights. The U.S. may then target them for settlement disputes, which can result in sanctions. The USTR did not respond to questions about its plans for the latest Special 301 Report. Big Pharmas tight grip on intellectual property rights Biden had pledged to administer 100 million shots of the COVID-19 vaccine in his first 100 days in office. With 57 days to go, Biden reached his goal several weeks ahead of schedule. According to current projections, unlike the U.S., most countries in the developing world are not expected to achieve widespread vaccination for several years. Some projections even predict that many low-income countries, such as Zimbabwe and South Sudan, may not achieve widespread vaccination until early 2024. Meanwhile, wealthier countries representing only 16 percent of the worlds total population have secured more than half of all coronavirus vaccine contracts. Unfortunately, many leaders feel that delayed vaccinations could cost lives and make it harder for their countries to rebuild their economies. Vaccination is also a race against time, as the virus can mutate into strains that may be harder to neutralize. In response, governments are now considering a temporary exemption to IP rights. This way, they may rapidly produce coronavirus vaccines at a much lower cost than what manufacturers are charging. Not surprisingly, drug lobbyists vehemently oppose this demand. Lobbyists with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), for instance, have argued that allowing foreign governments to set the price and pace of production of coronavirus vaccines threatens American jobs and the workers who rely on them. On the other hand, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), another drug lobby group, requested that the Biden Administration pursue a variety of enforcement initiatives and use all available tools and leverage to ensure that the countrys trading partners do not suspend IP rights. Brian Newell, spokesperson for PhRMA, said in a statement that IP protections are actually allowing American trading partners to more easily share technology and information to find ways of fighting the virus. Meanwhile, Albert Broula, chief executive officer of Pfizer, said proposals for sharing IP were dangerous, and for good reason. The coronavirus vaccines netted drug companies like Pfizer $21 billion this year alone. BIO and PhRMA represent the worlds largest drug companies, including Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson and Gilead Sciences. These two groups combined spent over $38 million lobbying federal officials last year. Several drug industry-funded groups and organizations have also requested that the administration act against those countries challenging corporate IP rights to produce cheaper coronavirus vaccines. (Related: Wealthy countries block India, South Africas bid to ban COVID vaccine patents.) These groups include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Alliance for Trade Enforcement and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. Go to BigPharmaNews.com to learn more about what coronavirus vaccines are worth to Big Pharma. Sources include: GreatGameIndia.com USTR.gov CNBC.com TheIntercept.com Daunte Wright's family members joined with community leaders Thursday in calling for more serious charges and a life sentence against the white former police officer who fatally shot him, comparing her case to the murder charge brought against a black officer who killed a white woman in nearby Minneapolis. Former Brooklyn Center police Officer Kim Potter was charged with second-degree manslaughter in Sunday's shooting of Wright, a 20-year-old black man, during a traffic stop. Wright's family members and protesters who have confronted police all week since his death say there's no excuse for the shooting. 'Unfortunately, there's never going to be justice for us,' Wright's mother, Katie Wright, said at a news conference Thursday. 'Justice isn't even a word to me. I do want accountability.' Naisha Wright, Daunte Wright's aunt, grew emotional at the news conference with other family members, saying, 'Can we get a conviction? Can we get something? Manslaughter?' She held up a photo of a Taser. 'This is a Taser, but no,' she said, displaying a photo of a handgun. 'My nephew was killed with this -- a Glock.' Naisha Wright added, 'My brother and my sister need this woman to be convicted. If we could have life, we want life. We gotta go life without him.' Naisha Wright, Daunte Wright's aunt, argued for a life sentence for Kim Potter on Thursday In an exclusive photo, Potter was seen leaving her lawyer's office following a court appearance The former police chief in Brooklyn Center, a majority nonwhite suburb, said Potter mistakenly fired her handgun when she meant to use her Taser. Both the chief and Potter resigned Tuesday. Potter - who was released on $100,000 bond hours after her arrest Wednesday - appeared alongside her attorney, Earl Gray, at her initial appearance Thursday over Zoom, saying little. Gray kept his camera on himself for most of the hearing, swiveling it to show Potter only briefly. Her next court appearance was set for May 17. Potter, 48, appeared tired and strained Thursday as she was spotted being driven away from her lawyer's office in St. Paul, Minnesota by husband Jeffrey, 54, on Thursday in exclusive photos taken by DailyMail.com. Potter was at the legal office in downtown St. Paul for her first court appearance at Hennepin County District Court after being charged a day earlier with second-degree manslaughter over Wright's death. Wright's death has been followed by protests every night this week outside the city's police station, with some demonstrators hurling objects at officers who have responded at times with gas and rubber bullets before clearing the scene with a riot line. Another protest was scheduled Thursday night, just hours after police in Chicago released graphic body camera video of an officer fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy in March. Wright family attorney Ben Crump said 'full accountability, to get equal justice' is all the family wants - 'nothing more, nothing less.' Crump and other advocates for Wright point to the 2017 case of Mohamed Noor. The black former Minneapolis police officer fatally shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a white woman who was a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia, in the alley behind her home after she called 911 to report what she thought was a woman being assaulted. Noor was convicted of third-degree murder in addition to second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison. Daunte Wright, 20, was killed during a traffic stop on Sunday, sparking protests and outrage Potter's charge carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence. Intent isn't a necessary component of either charge. A key difference is that third-degree murder requires someone to act with a 'depraved mind,' a term that has been the subject of legal disputes, but includes an act eminently dangerous to others, performed without regard for human life. Noor testified that he fired to protect his partner's life after hearing a loud bang on the squad car and seeing a woman at his partner's window raising her arm. Prosecutors criticized Noor for shooting without seeing a weapon or Damond's hands. Pictured: Attorney Earl Gray (left) and Kim Potter (right) in a courtroom sketch Potter appeared over Zoom on Thursday, her first court appearance in Wright's death Many critics of the police believe the race of those involved in the Wright shooting played a role in which charges were brought. 'If the officer was black, perhaps even a minority man, and the victim was a young, white female affluent kid, the chief would have fired him immediately and the county prosecutor would have charged him with murder, without a doubt,' said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Potter could have easily been charged with third-degree murder, which carries a 25-year maximum sentence, said Rachel Moran, a law professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Potter was charged with second-degree manslaughter and released on $100,000 bond But she noted that one difference between the Noor and Potter cases is that Potter will likely argue using the gun was a mistake, while Noor never said he didn't intend to use his weapon. 'This is kind of the compromise charge, which isn't to say it's not serious. It is,' Moran said. 'But they're not reaching for the most serious charge they could theoretically file. They're also not washing their hands and saying she has no criminal liability.' The prosecutor who brought the case, Washington County Attorney Pete Orput, did not return messages seeking comment. Wright's death came as the broader Minneapolis area awaits the outcome of the trial of Derek Chauvin, one of four officers charged in George Floyd's death last May. Crump pointed to that trial as having the potential to set a precedent for 'police officers being held accountable and sent to prison for killing black people.' Aubrey Wright, Daunte's dad, comforts Katie Wright, Daunte's mom, on Thursday Angie Golson, Daunte's grandmother, cries on the shoulder of his aunt, Naisha, on Thursday Both sides in the Chauvin trial rested their case on Thursday, with closing arguments set for Monday. Police say Wright was pulled over for expired tags, but they sought to arrest him after discovering he had an outstanding warrant. The warrant was for his failure to appear in court on charges that he fled from officers and possessed a gun without a permit during an encounter with Minneapolis police in June. Potter, a 26-year veteran, was training another officer at the time. Body camera video shows Wright struggling with police after they say they're going to arrest him, before Potter pulls her gun. Potter is heard yelling 'Taser!' three times before she fires and then says, 'Holy (expletive), I shot him.' ''Justice isn't even a word to me. I do want accountability,' Daunte's mother said on Thursday The criminal complaint noted that Potter holstered her handgun on the right side and her Taser on the left. To remove the Taser - which is yellow and has a black grip - Potter would have to use her left hand, the complaint said. Experts say cases of officers mistakenly firing their gun instead of a Taser are rare, usually less than once a year nationwide. Wright's funeral will be April 22 at the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis, his attorney said. Demonstrators hold signs as they gather near the Brooklyn Center police station Wednesday .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Chef Marie Yniguez of Bocadillos sandwich shop is spreading the gospel of New Mexican cuisine far and wide. In the past few years, shes taken home first place in Food Networks Chopped and earned the rare distinction of not one but two appearances on the networks Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Most recently, she starred on The Great Food Truck Race, where her sopaipilla smores, green chile stew and posole wowed customers and host Tyler Florence. Its been a remarkable, unlikely journey for Yniguez, who started out in the commercial kitchen at Albuquerques South Valley Economic Development Center. She parlayed that experience into Bocadillos, a breakfast and lunch takeout concept based on slow-roasted meats. Her first appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives jump-started that business, and now Yniguez and her wife and business partner, Karla Arvizu, oversee a flourishing operation based in the lobby of the Wells Fargo Bank building. The building, a 16-story modernist block on the south side of Lomas between Second and Third NW, is such an unusual setting for a restaurant that when entering the parking lot, you briefly think that your cellphone has led you astray. And then, you drive around to the west side of the building, facing Third, and notice people sitting in their cars chowing down on sandwiches and you know youre in the right place. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ I walked in there during a recent weekday lunch hour to find almost a dozen people standing against the wall waiting for their food to come out. Several more stood in a second line at the counter to either order or pick up their food. Occasionally, bank customers entered and weaved their way through the crowd. A couple of young people staffed the cramped kitchen. There was no sign of Yniguez. My food was ready less than 15 minutes after I placed the order online through Selflane. It was a beautiful day, and I had hoped to eat outside, but Bocadillos is strictly a grab-and-go operation. Theres no seating inside, no benches or tables outside and no parks within easy walking distance, which explains the people eating in their cars. A breakfast menu featuring reasonably priced burritos is available from 7 to 10:30 in the morning. Ive heard good things about it, but I was there for the sandwiches and the slow-roasted meats. And they did not disappoint. The Big Dipper ($12.50) is Bocadillos spin on or should I say, improvement on the classic French dip. The shredded beef clamped inside a fresh baguette was flawless and picked up savory notes and heat from the red and green chile, caramelized onions and pepper jack cheese. The ingredients were well balanced, and the generous side of au jus was beefy, salty, spicy and chock full of onions, like a good French onion soup. The Club ($11), a combination of roasted, shredded turkey, thick slices of bacon and avocado served between thick, grilled slices of white bread, also takes a classic sandwich and elevates it. The shredded turkey was superior in flavor and texture to even the best Thanksgiving leftovers. I found myself thinking about it for days afterward. The Cubano ($8.50), another variation of a classic, replaces the usual sliced ham and pork tenderloin with a mound of succulent, slow-cooked pork wrapped in a sweet chili sauce. Its served open-faced in a baguette. The pork was terrific, and the bacon and Muenster cheese, a mild-flavored American variety that melts well, helped temper the sweetness of the sauce and housemade pickles. Bocadillos lone burger, the GC ($9.75), is an inch-thick patty piled with red and green chile and cooked to medium. The chile gave off more of a tingle than a burn, one that was balanced by the tangy, sweet housemade honey mustard sauce. Like the sandwiches, the burger had a good balance of ingredients. Unfortunately, the trip home took a toll on it, leaving about half of the bottom bun soggy. Drinks are limited to canned sodas and bottled water, and I did not see any desserts on the menu. Nothing is listed as gluten-free, but you can order the fillings without bread. Chef Yniguez has proved her mettle on the national stage. Thankfully, her home remains in Albuquerque. BOCADILLOS 3.5 stars LOCATION: 200 Lomas NW, 243-3995, bocadillos505.com HOURS: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; closed Saturday-Monday NO ALCOHOL Newburgh Brewing Company New York State boasts more than 700 hiking trails, and more than 440 licensed breweries, many of which are located just a stones throw from the greatest trails. Coincidence? Probably. Serendipitous? Indubitably. New York has become a huge destination for its beer, but since opening our taproom three years ago, I can attest to the draw of the Great Outdoors as well, says Rick Shobin, a proprietor at the 15-barrell Woodstock Brewing in Phoenicia. I think it has been especially helpful in the past year during COVID. We honestly havent seen a dip at all in revenue, and I think thats because so many people are spending more time outside hiking, biking, fishing. After, they can come here and have a beer and a bite inside or outside, with views of Mount Tremper. Seid Mussa Omar is Tigrayan. He said only 10 Tigrayans remained of about 400 who worked with him at a hospital in northern Ethiopia. The rest were killed or fled. Seids original paper showing his Tigrayan ethnicity was taken away and burned, he said. He showed reporters his new identification paper. It is in Amharic language. It does not mention anything about being Tigray. This is genocide Their aim is to erase Tigray, he said. The Associated Press confirmed the same thing happened with nine other refugees. They arrived in Sudan with gunshot wounds and cuts on their backs. They told stories of dead bodies lying along the river. They said women were raped and children, weakened by hunger, were left behind. When reporters asked about the new Amharic identification papers, the prime ministers office said the area is under a temporary administration. It said the people are all from the region. Ethnic cleansing Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called what has happened in Tigray ethnic cleansing. That is when a group of people is being forced to leave an area, often including killings and rapes. It is the first time a top official in the international community has used the term to describe the situation in northern Ethiopia. Refugees and international experts have accused the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and others of punishing the 6 million Tigrayans in northern Ethiopia. Abiys mother was Amharan. They said Abiy teamed up with ethnic Amharans and soldiers from neighboring Eritrea to divide the area. The conflict began in November as a political dispute. Tigray leaders had been leading Ethiopias government for nearly 30 years. They created a system of ethnic-based states in different areas. When Abiy took office in 2018, he kept all the power and removed the Tigray leaders. Abiy made peace with Eritrea after years of war, earning a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. After last years election was delayed, Tigray leaders viewed Abiys government as illegal and held their own vote. The Abiy government then opened a military offensive, saying Tigrayan forces had attacked a military base. Abiy won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his work to bring peace to Ethiopia and resolve the conflict with Eritrea. The organization offered the prize to Abiy while warning: many challenges remain unresolved. The current fighting seems to be one of those challenges. I know the conflict has caused unimaginable suffering, Abiy wrote last December. He argued, however, that the heavy fighting was necessary to hold the country together. How many have been killed? In recent days, refugees told the Associated Press that Amharan officials and fighters allied with the government took over whole communities. They loaded thousands of Tigrayans onto trucks and took them away. Goitom Hagos, a refugee from Humera said he did not know where they went. Seid said the hospital he worked for was attacked early in the conflict, so he left. The only people left in the area he once lived in were old people and children. They had been told not to speak their own Tigray language. Only Amharic was permitted. One pregnant woman, Lemlem Gebrehiwet, had to leave her home because she was told the area was now under Amharan control. She gave birth just three days after arriving in Sudan. Alem Mebrahtu had been separated from her children. She heard they were in Sudan so she left Tigray to look for them. She said she saw about 50 dead bodies when crossing the Tekeze River, which separates Ethiopia from Sudan. She said she had to pretend to be a different ethnicity in order to cross safely. I hope there will be a Tigray for my children to go home to, Alem said. Beyond the killing, female refugees from Tigray said they have been raped by male fighters. One man who saw Tigray women being taken away and raped by fighters said: They do these things openly to make us ashamed. The United Nations said 500 rapes have been reported. The people who are now safe in refugee camps will not be able to stay there forever. And right now, there is a food shortage. People said fighters burned food in storage in Tigray and destroyed seeds needed to plant new crops. Abedom, a worker who gave only one name, said: It was normal to go a whole day without food. He added, if they take it all, how do I survive? Ethiopias foreign ministry said in a statement last week that the government is shocked by the deaths of civilians. But it criticized the rush to accuse the government and called the former Tigray leaders and Tigray forces a criminal enterprise that had been armed to its teeth. Im Dan Friedell. And Im Mario Ritter. Cara Anna of the Associated Press wrote this story. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. What should outside countries do about the conflict in Ethiopia? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________ Words in This Story genocide - n. the deliberate killing of people who belong to a particular racial, political or cultural group erase v. to remove any thought or memory of (something) region n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way challenge n. a difficult task or problem: something that is hard to do ashamed adj. feeling shame or guilt armed to the teeth idiom. a way of saying having a lot of weapons or military supplies 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. BOSTON, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 'Quin House, a modern private social club, will open its doors at 217 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston this summer. Housed in one of the most historic and glamorous buildings in Boston, The 'Quin House - formerly the Algonquin Club - currently is seeking 100+ hospitality-experienced candidates to add to their diverse and talented team of passionate culinarians, mixologists, service professionals and front-and-back-of-house specialists who hail from all corners of the globe. Cafe Q, one of the the food & beverage options at The 'Quin House The social club - designed to stimulate the mind, body and spirit - is a 56,000 square foot, five-floor architectural gem that has been reimagined by famed interior designer Ken Fulk (KFI, Inc.) to bring members and their guests an aesthetically-stunning playground. The property is comprised of a collection of globally-inspired restaurants, lounges and bars, luxury guest quarters, a health and wellness center, and more. The intent is to create a diverse social club that brings together the region's interesting and interested leaders, creators, innovators and rising stars to forge meaningful connections and expand lives. "The hospitality industry is among those that, heartbreakingly, have been hit particularly hard during this pandemic," said Matthias Kiehm, Managing Director of The 'Quin House. "Hospitality is all about bringing people together, gathering around the table, creating memories and having some fun. We are excited to revive this tradition safely and I'm humbled to help build a people-centric culture led by an immensely talented team." On the food and beverage side - directed by Michelin-star restaurant alumnus Jean-Paul Lourdes - The 'Quin House's open positions range among a wide variety of specialties and experience levels including servers, runners, bartenders, hosts, sushi chefs, cooks and stewards. Other available positions on property include 'Quin Ambassadors (front desk agents), door and house attendants, amongst others. Interested candidates can submit their resume to [email protected]. Follow-up interviews will be held by appointment only at upcoming job fairs hosted at the Loews Hotel Boston, located at 154 Berkeley Street in the Back Bay, in late April and early May. Related Images the-quin-house.jpg The 'Quin House Cafe Q, one of the the food & beverage options at The 'Quin House SOURCE The 'Quin House Help India! Affiliate of Indias Hindu nationalist movement has a history of platforming hate. Narsinghanands host of hateful remarks include a call to finish off Islam which he issued on the eve of the February 2020 anti-Muslim pogrom in Delhi. Pieter Friedrich, TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles Islam should be eradicated from Earth, said Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh based Swami Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati in 2019, adding, All Muslims should be eliminated. Narsinghanands call for genocide drew fresh attention in mid-April 2021 after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) the US branch of Indias VHP, which is itself the religious wing of the Hindu nationalist paramilitary Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) invited him to conduct a recitation and explanation of Ramayana for Chaitra Navrati, a Hindu festival. Soon after it was announced, however, news of the invitation sparked outrage. Hosting someone who calls for genocide is unacceptable for US-based non-profits such as VHPA, stated Rutgers University Professor Audrey Truschke. Referring to the religious-nationalist political ideology known as Hindutva, she called the event another step a somewhat extreme step in the acceleration of Hindutva hate by US organizations. Journalist Raqib Naik wrote, Last week, I reported for Al Jazeera English how five US-based Hindu rightwing groups linked to RSS received $833,000 in COVID aid. Today, VHPA, [one of the five], announced an event inviting Yati Narsinghanand a militant priest who called for the murder of Muslims in India as the main speaker. Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), a US-based non-profit which launched a petition opposing the event, explained, Just last month, a 14-year-old Muslim boy was violently assaulted for drinking water at [Narsinghanands] temple in Ghaziabad. And an affiliate of his organization provides children as young as nine with arms training to fight Muslims who are exploiting Hindu women. Notably, Narsinghanands host of hateful remarks include a call to finish off Islam which he issued on the eve of the February 2020 anti-Muslim pogrom in Delhi. Within a day of the controversy over their invitation to him, VHPA washed their hands of the issue, announcing that they were not formally involved in organizing a recent spiritual event with Swami Narsinghanand. The group insisted, A supporter of the VHPA had circulated the event flyer and sought to stream it on the VHPA social media channels, without being fully aware of some of the controversial statements made by him. The event was cancelled after VHPA became aware of the aforementioned statements. VHPAs claim that they were not formally involved in the event, however, rang hollow considering that the event flyer was not merely circulated through official VHPA social media channels but posted to and featured on the front page of their official website. Regardless, this was not the first time that VHPA has given a platform to Hindu supremacist or notoriously Islamophobic figures. In 2018, VHPA hosted the second World Hindu Congress (WHC) in Chicago, which was organized by VHP Secretary Swami Vigyananand. In 2003, Vigyananand, calling for the distribution of trishuls small tridents to VHP members, declared, The trishul sends a message that we should stand and fight. You cant kill with the trishul but symbols and ideas are interconnected by the law of association. When the mind gets ready, everything is possible. His call was particularly ominous in the wake of the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom in which RSS and VHP members were accused of massacring upwards of 2,000 Muslims. As Human Rights Watch reported, The attackers arrived by the thousands in trucks, clad in saffron scarves and khaki shorts, the signature uniform of Hindu nationalist, or Hindutva, groups. Shouting slogans of incitement to kill, they were armed with swords, trishuls. Notably, in 2018 the WHC organizers temporarily renamed the conference venues grand reception hall as Ashok Singhal Hall after the former VHP chief. The late Singhal, notoriously, had described the slaughter in Gujarat as a successful experiment which will be repeated all over the country now. He had further applauded how entire villages were emptied of Islam. Singhal had a record of collaboration with VHPA, including as recently as September 2015, when he joined then VHPA President Abhay Asthana in inaugurating an event in Massachusetts. In November 2015, upon Singhals death, Asthana described him as a friend and a companion in the journey of VHP of America since the mid-80s. Earlier, at the first WHC in 2014 (where Asthana was also a speaker), Singhal declared (regarding the election of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India), Proud Hindus have finally come to rule Delhi. Its time to create a Hindu superpower in the world. In 2013, VHPA organized a seminar in Chicago to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda (who is known for introducing Hinduism on a global platform). What should have been a celebratory occasion was mired in controversy when the Council for a Parliament of the Worlds Religions (CPWR) an interfaith group founded with direct inspiration by Vivekananda withdrew from the event. Their decision was motivated, in part, by VHPAs choice of Hindu nationalist icon Subramanian Swamy as a keynote speaker. Swamy, noted CPWR, was removed from his teaching position at Harvard in 2011 for his Islamophobia. In particular, he had published an article demanding that Muslims be stripped of voting rights and calling for razing hundreds of Indian mosques. (Much later, Swamy argued that Muslims are not in an equal category to non-Muslims.) VHPAs eagerness to platform such Islamophobic figures makes perfect sense considering its ties to Indias VHP. In a 2014 interview, VHPAs Asthana explained that VHP was founded in 1964 with its own mission and its own vision, while VHPA was founded in 1970. It is a distinct organization, he said. Nothing to do with Vishwa Hindu Parishad of India legally Operationally, we are two distinct entities. Indeed, VHPA has nothing to do with VHP legally. VHPA was founded by Mahesh Mehta, an RSS member who served in the same unit as fellow member Modi before emigrating to the US. Mehta, who is a Vice-President of VHP, also played the leading role in starting [the] RSS clone in the US Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and was instrumental in starting a dozen other organizations such as Hindu Students Council, Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party, Sewa International and more. His credentials certainly indicate that VHPA was planted as a subsidiary albeit a legally and operationally distinct one of the Sangh Parivar (the umbrella term for the family of Hindu nationalist groups springing from the RSS). Moreover, the VHPAs routine platforming of Islamophobic figures demonstrates its deep ideological ties to the VHP. The parent groups co-founder, then RSS chief MS Golwalkar, claimed that Muslims (and Christians) were internal threats and members of foreign races. Even going so far as to term them traitors for being non-Hindus in India, Golwalkar called for their disenfranchisement and hinted that they should be purged from the country just as Nazi Germany had done with its minorities. To deny the connection between the VHPA and the VHP and by extension, the RSS is to insult our intelligence, wrote HfHR co-founder Sunita Viswanath. As her organization stated, For decades, the VHPA has continually tried to downplay its links to Hindu extremists in India. VHPAs invitation of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati is just another example proving the deep ties that exist between Hindu nationalist organizations in the United States and Hindu extremist leaders in India. After VHPAs track record of providing a platform to voices of hate, its also an insult to every rational persons intelligence for the group to argue that it was not formally involved with the planned Narsinghanand event. Following the cancellation of the event, HfHR called on current VHPA President Ajay Shah to take full responsibility for organizing the event and to publicly disavow the statements of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, whose calls for murder and genocide against Muslims have incited violence in India. Meanwhile, some voices in India insist, It needs to be said without a moment of doubt and hesitation: any person who does not demand the immediate arrest of Narsinghanand and the leading members of his gang is an enemy of a free and open society. Whatever the future holds for Narsinghanand, however, VHPA thanks in part to generous funding from the US government appears likely to continue generally uninterrupted operations for the foreseeable future unless and until the nonprofits activities and ties to the Sangh Parivar in India come under much closer scrutiny. Pieter Friedrich is a freelance journalist specializing in analysis of South Asian affairs. He is author of Saffron Fascists: Indias Hindu Nationalist Rulers and co-author of Captivating the Simple-Hearted: A Struggle for Human Dignity in the Indian Subcontinent. Scott Stafford has been a reporter, photographer, and editor at a variety of publications, including the Dallas Morning News and The Berkshire Eagle. Scott can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com, or at 413-496-6301 and on Twitter at @BE_SStafford. Ashgabat hosted an international conference titled International Cooperation of Independent, Permanently Neutral Turkmenistan for Peace and Trust attended by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The forum brought together members of the government and parliament of Turkmenistan, heads of public associations, representatives of the mass media, higher education establishments as well as foreign diplomats accredited in Ashgabat. Speaking at the conference, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2021 the International Year of Peace and Trust at Turkmenistans initiative, which reflects the international communitys aspiration to create conditions for building respectful relations based on the norms of international law and the UN Charter. The head of state emphasized the role of the UN in ensuring global security. The conference heard video messages by the OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid; by Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee - Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev; by the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Olga Algayerova; and by the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana. Other speakers included the UN Resident Coordinator a.i., UNICEF Representative in Ashgabat Christine Weigand; Russian Ambassador Alexander Blokhin; US Ambassador Matthew Steven Klimov; Head of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, Ambassador Natalia Drozd and EU Ambassador Diego Ruiz Alonso. Thanking the speakers, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed the high-level forum participants with closing remarks. He expressed gratitude to everyone for the kind words to the government and people of Turkmenistan and active participation in the conference. The international conference concluded with a ceremony of signing international documents at the Congress Center. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021 Iceland Deep Drilling Project-1 drill rig. Credit: Shane Rooyakkers. Boulder, Colo., USA: Volcanologists' ability to estimate eruption risks is largely reliant on knowing where pools of magma are stored, deep in the Earth's crust. But what happens if the magma can't be spotted? Shane Rooyakkers, a postdoctoral scholar at GNS Science in New Zealand, grew up in the shadow of Mount Taranaki on the country's North Island, hiking on the island's many volcanoes. Today, his research is revealing hidden dangers that may have been beneath his feet all along. A new study, published yesterday in Geology, explores a threat volcanologists discovered only recently: surprisingly shallow magma pools that are too small to be detected with common volcano monitoring equipment. Such a magma body was discovered in Iceland in 2009, when scientists with the Iceland Deep Drilling Project accidentally drilled directly into the molten rock two kilometers shallower than the depths where magma had been detected before. Magma began to creep up the drill hole, reaching several meters before it was stopped with cold drilling fluids. The study adds a critical piece of information to the puzzle by linking the hidden magma to a centuries-old eruption. Rooyakkers, who is lead author on the study and completed the work while at McGill University, compared the composition of the quenched magma, which had formed smooth volcanic glass, with rocks from an eruption from that same volcano, Krafla, in 1724. Before his study, scientists thought the shallow magma they'd drilled into had been emplaced after a series of eruptions in the 1980s. No one expected the hidden magma to be related to the 1724 eruption, so what Rooyakkers found was a surprise. The brownish area on the right-hand edge of this image is the site where the rig was, just down the road from Viti Crater. Credit: Shane Rooyakkers. "When we looked at the compositions from 1724, we found an almost perfect match for what was sampled during the drilling," Rooyakkers says. "That suggests that actually, this magma body has been there since 1724 and has previously been involved in an eruption at Krafla. So that raises the question of, 'Why did geophysics not pick it up?'" The answer is size. Most magma detection relies on seismic imaging, like oil companies use to detect reserves deep under the seafloor. When there's an earthquake, the instruments detect how long it takes for sound waves to travel through the crust. Depending on the density of the rocks, the soundwaves return at different times. So if there's water, oil, or magma stored underground, the soundwaves should reflect it. But these hidden magma chambers are too small for these instruments, as well as other detection tools, to find. "In traditional approaches to volcano monitoring, a lot of emphasis is placed on knowing where magma is and which magma bodies are active," says Rooyakkers. "Krafla is one of the most intensely-monitored and instrumented volcanoes in the world. They've thrown everything but the kitchen sink at it in terms of geophysics. And yet we still didn't know there was this rhyolitic magma body sitting at just two kilometers' depth that's capable of producing a hazardous eruption." Studies like Rooyakkers' suggest that smaller, more widely-distributed magma bodies might be more common than previously thought, challenging the conventional view that most eruptions are fed from larger and deeper magma chambers that can be reliably detected. Viti Crater (formed in the 1724 event), where the Iceland Deep Drilling Project accidentally drilled into magma in 2009. They were drilling there originally to explore the potential for geothermal energy. Credit: Shane Rooyakkers. Beyond not being able to monitor magmatic activity, planning for eruptions and estimating risks becomes more difficult if scientists suspect that hidden magma bodies could be present. For example, the Krafla volcano is usually dominated by basalt, a type of magma that tends to erupt passively (like the recent eruption at Fagradallsfjall in Iceland) rather than in an explosion. But the hidden magma body at Krafla is made of rhyolite, a magma type that often creates violent explosions when it erupts. "So the concern in this case would be that you have a shallow rhyolitic magma that you don't know about, so it hasn't been considered in hazards planning," Rooyakkers explains. "If it's hit by new magma moving up, you might have a much more explosive eruption than you were anticipating." As volcanologists become aware of the hazards associated with these shallow, distributed magma systems, they can work on improving monitoring, trying to capture these hidden magma pools. Covering a volcanic area in more detectors may be costly, but by improving the resolution of magma imaging, scientists may save a community or company far more than the cost of the study. The risks vary from volcano to volcano, but in general, as we learn more about these magma systems, scientists concerned with estimating hazards can be aware of the possibility of hidden magma. Despite the risks he's uncovering, will Rooyakkers still live around volcanoes? "Oh yeah, for sure," he says with a laugh. "I mean, there's risk with anything, isn't there?" Explore further Early indicators of magma viscosity could help forecast a volcano's eruption style More information: Shane M. Rooyakkers et al. Eruption risks from covert silicic magma bodies. Geology (2021) DOI: Journal information: Geology Shane M. Rooyakkers et al. Eruption risks from covert silicic magma bodies.(2021) DOI: doi.org/10.1130/G48697.1 The collapse of the global economy has contributed to worsening conditions for the very poor in the Caribbean nation of Haiti, according to Fr Richard Frechette with the "Fondazione Rava. By Vatican News staff reporter The non-profit organization Fondazione Rava provides emergency aid for those in most need, but also promotes long-term programs to support poor people in building livelihoods. Father Richard Frechette, a priest and medical doctor whose work in Haiti is supported by the Foundation, spoke with Vatican News about the effects of the pandemic in one of the poorest countries in the world. Listen The main way that coronavirus has negatively impacted the condition of people at least in our experience in Haiti, is because of the collapsed global economy, said Father Frechette. He highlighted the fact that funds received from abroad are not charity". He pointed out that they are more like subsidies used by the organisation to do something thats really good and noble for the people, which is the creation of work, or different kinds of small businesses which help people to live. Noting the enormous decrease in donations due to the global economic collapse, Fr Frechette said, Its our experience our experience is not small, and Im sure its compounded across the country but this has been [the cause of] the increase in poverty and hardship in living because of Covid-19 around the world, which has caused the collapse of the global economy. EC President: EU will continue to support Ukraine, its people in every possible way President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the arrival of the first batch of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines in Ukraine and assured that the European Union stands on the side of Ukraine and will continue to support its people in all possible ways. "I'm very happy & moved to see the 1st deliveries of vaccines to Ukraine through COVAX, to which the EU is one of the lead donors. Ukraine is a close neighbour, friend & key partner of the EU. We stand by Ukraine's side & will continue to support its people in all possible ways," she wrote on Twitter on Friday. As reported, on Friday, 117,000 doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, provided on a free basis under the COVAX program, arrived in Ukraine. A 20-year-old Navy serviceman was charged in late March with raping a minor, according to the Kern County, Caifornia Superior Court website. The alleged victim is a 15-year-old girl from Ridgecrest. The Kern County court website shows that charges were filed against Matthew Paul Foxhall on March 30 for unlawful sexual intercourse, sexual penetration with a foreign object/etc. with a victim under 18 years and oral copulation with a victim under 18 years. All three charges are felonies. The charges stem from Foxhalls arrest on March 27 by the Ridgecrest Police Department. Foxhall was later released on $125,000 bail. Foxhall is stationed at China Lake and is from Alabama, according to Detective Franklen Mixon, who is investigating the incident for RPD. The alleged sexual assault took place after Foxhall and the girl were reportedly denied entry to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, according to Mixon. Foxhall then drove her to the Ridgecrest Cinemas parking lot where the alleged assault took place, according to detectives. A nearby surveillance camera captured footage of the car in the area, which corroborated the victims story, according to Mixon. Detectives said they have interviewed the victim about the incident. Detectives are working with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service on the investigation because of the involvement of a Navy serviceman and the Ridgecrest location. We worked in tandem to investigate the incident because there was a 15-year-old involved, Mixon told the Daily Independent Thursday. The victim and her parents are cooperating with the investigation, Mixon said. Detectives believe Foxhall and the girl met prior to the date of the incident. They attended various parties on the night in question before leaving a party together, Mixon said. It is unclear what day the alleged assault occurred. Ridgecrest police have had no other reports of criminal conduct by Foxhall, according to Mixon. Representatives from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake were not available for comment on Thursday. A felony arraignment was held on April 1, and a bail review and pre-preliminary hearing were held on April 13, all in Ridgecrest, according to the Kern County Superior Court website. A pre-preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on May 18 in Ridgecrest. If convicted of all charges, Foxhall faces up to one year in county jail and two years in either state prison or county jail. Unlawful sexual intercourse with a victim that is at least three years younger than the adult also carries a potential civil penalty not to exceed $10,000. ___ (c)2021 The Daily Independent, Ridgecrest, Calif. Visit The Daily Independent, Ridgecrest, Calif. at www.ridgecrestca.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A former psychic serving a jail term for the money laundering of 1.6 million has admitted having fake driving licences and bank holograms at addresses in Westmeath and Leitrim. Simon Gold (54) is currently serving a seven and a half year sentence having been convicted by a jury following trial in 2019 of money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments. On Friday, Gold pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Court via video link from prison to having under his custody or control three UK driving licences in various names knowing them to be false instruments on October 22, 2012 at Esker View, Ballinvalley, Delvin, Co Westmeath. Gold, of Augharan, Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, also admitted having four sheets containing 360 removable hologram purporting to be AIB holograms at that address on February 20, 2014. Judge Martin Nolan had severed these charges from the original indictment for the trial in 2019 and they were due for trial next May 2022. Gold is due for release in 2024. Judge Nolan on Friday said he was sure these frauds were committed in connection with the charges Gold has already been found guilty of so he felt it would be unfair to extend his stay in prison. He imposed a sentence of one year to run from today's date. Thank you so much judge, responded Gold via video link, after the sentence was pronounced. Detective Garda Ciaran Cummins on Friday told Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting, that the fake driving licences had been found in the front bedroom of the then home of the accused in 2012 while he was operating under another name. He said the holograms were found at a property where other materials were also seized by gardai in 2014. They were sent to the company which produce holograms for AIB who concluded they were not genuine. He said Gold had 46 previous convictions, 27 of which relate to the 2019 trial. His other convictions include larceny, forgery, money laundering, deception and promoting a lottery without a licence. During his trial in 2019 Gold had pleaded not guilty to money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments on dates between January 1, 2010 and October 22, 2012. After over two weeks of evidence, the jury had returned a verdict of guilty on 20 counts after deliberating for over 12 hours. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty on one count of deception. Additional evidence While sentencing Gold in 2019 on the money laundering charges Judge Nolan said that he was a very intelligent man and that these were devious and well thought out crimes. He said that two of the Irish victims in the case were desperate men at the end of their tether and that Gold took advantage of them. He said Gold caused these men distress and embarrassment. He said these were crimes involving gross dishonesty and that while Gold was a man of enterprise and intelligence, he applies his acumen to crime. At that hearing Det Gda Cummins told Mr Staines that Gold changed his name by deed poll from Niall O'Donoghue in the United Kingdom. Gold also represented himself as Simon Gould, Stephen Gould and Simon Magnier. Dt Gda Cummins said that Gold operated a number of companies such as Anglo Irish Global, Irish Nationwide Bank, Belgravia Consultants Ltd and Elite Banking Group, none of which were actually banks. When investigating the money laundering offences, gardai seized a computer owned by Gold upon which they found evidence of earlier frauds committed against three Irish men who sought private financing following the recession in the late 2000's. Mr Gold seemed to prey on people who were in severe financial difficulty, said Dt Gda Cummins. Gardai also discovered recordings of phone conversations between Gold and another man from around the time of the money laundering offences. Dt Gda Cummins said that during the recordings, Gold could be heard to say that he could facilitate to move the money, but that it had to be done through Simon Gold and then Simon Gold will disappear. Gold can be heard to say that it has to be legitimised and the only way it can be is through trade. He said that if was not for him then it would have fallen apart ages ago. He can be heard to say that the first flag that is raised we're fucked, they will freeze the account and we will get nothing. He said it does not make sense to pilfer the account immediately. Dominic McGinn SC, defending, said during his plea in mitigation at the 2019 hearing that there were 20 years between the offending and the convictions. He said Gold was raised by his grandmother and has a son with whom he has very little contact. Mr McGinn said that money laundering was often linked to terrorism or drug trafficking and that his client's crimes were not in that category. A morning commuter walks in front of the China Central Television (CCTV) building in Beijing, China, on Dec. 2, 2015. (Damir Sagolj/Reuters) Changes Proposed to Canadas Broadcasting Act Could Take Chinese State TV Networks Off Air The federal Conservatives are proposing changes to the Broadcasting Act that, if approved by Parliament, may see a possible removal of two Chinese state-owned broadcasters from Canadas airwaves. The proposed changes target any foreign media that is subject to direction or controlled by a non-democratic foreign state, by a foreign state that is committing genocide or crimes against humanity, or that transmits, produces, or participates in the production of forced confessions. Conservatives Garnett Genuis, a human rights critic, and Alain Rayes, the partys heritage critic, said their proposed revisions seek to bar authoritarian or genocidal states from pushing their propaganda to Canadians through the airwaves. The promotion and glorification of human rights abuses by state-controlled foreign media has no place in Canada, the two MPs said in a statement released on April 13. Allowing foreign states who are violating human rights to promote those abuses or dispel legitimate criticism on Canadian channels run counter to our Canadian values and to the principle of free and open conversation. I am working with @AlainRayes to seek amendments to the government's broadcasting reform bill to prevent authoritarian or genocidal states from pushing their message on Canada's airwaves. #cdnpoli #humanrights #china #misinformation CC: @SafeguardDefend pic.twitter.com/2qzylDxOG4 Garnett Genuis (@GarnettGenuis) April 13, 2021 Their statement came on the same day that Safeguard Defenders, a human rights NGO, published a press release calling on TV providers around the worldincluding Canadas Rogers, to stop airing abusive content such as confessions from Chinese state run media China Global Television Network (CGTN) and China Central Television (CCTV-4) The release also included an open letter (pdf) to the TV providers which victims of forced confessions jointly signed on April 7. Most victims are rights lawyers, NGO workers and journalists, who stand up for the rule of law and human rights. As punishment, we have been placed in solitary confinement, held incommunicado and been subjected to physical and mental torture, the letter read. All this to ensure that when the camera faced us, we had no choice but to repeat the lines given to us by the Chinese police. Our footage is used, often without our knowledge, to spread fake news and fear among the rights communities we belong to. When torture did not work, threats to loved ones were used to extract filmed confessions, the letter added. Chinese police script every word, direct the delivery, and decide on the clothes. Chinese media collude with the police in their production, the victims said in the letter. The vast majority of victims are never told these recordings are for public airing, and that it will be put on TV, instead we are told its for internal use by the police or courts. The letter urged TV providers in democratic societies to consider whether they should continue to be morally complicit in airing such intentionally distorted information obtained through torture, threats and deprivation. The logo of CGTN Europe is pictured on a sign outside an office block that houses the offices of China Global Television Network in Chiswick Park, west London, UK, on Feb. 4, 2021. (Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images) The letter was signed by British citizen Peter Humphrey, who was arrested in China after he was hired to investigate bribery claims and was shown on CGTN confessing to a crime; Simon Cheng, a former employee of the British Consulate in Hong Kong; Swedish activist Angela Gui, on behalf of her father Gui Minhai; and Safeguard Defenders director, who is also the author of the complaint letter, Peter Dahlin. Safeguard had filed a complaint (pdf) to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) against CGTN and CCTV-4 in December 2019, providing records of 36 forced confessions with 70 victims aired in Canada from the period of 2013 to 2019. However, Safeguard said CRTC has not taken any action since they presented the findings to the agency. After month than 14 months, neither Safeguard Defenders nor any Canadian media who asked have been given a straight answer by the CRTC as to the status of the complaint, nor as to whether any investigation into the allegations has been carried out at all, Safeguard told CRTC director Peter Foster in a letter dated Feb. 18. Safeguards letter also noted that when the CRTC granted CCTV permission to air in 2006, it was done with the premise that the commission will remove the television network if it finds out abusive content was aired. Meanwhile, other countries have taken measures against the two Chinese state broadcasters. On Feb. 4, UKs broadcasting regulator Ofcom revoked CGTNs license because it was held by Star China Media Limited (SCML), which has no editorial control over its programs. On March 8, Ofcom issued statutory sanctions against SCML and fined the entity 100,000 for airing five forced confessions. On March 5, Australian public broadcaster SBS temporarily stopped CCTV and CGTN after receiving a complaint from Safeguard after the networks broadcasted at least 56 forced confessions from prisoners over a seven-year period. In the same month, Frances audiovisual regulator CSA said they would pay close attention to CGTNs content after receiving the complaints filed by Dahlin. On March 22, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said they will investigate the networks for allegedly violating FCC rules regarding airing forced confessions. The parliament committee on Canadian heritage will hold a meeting Friday to discuss Bill C-6, which seeks to amend the Broadcasting Act. Rayes, who is the committee vice-chair, may present the proposed changes that day or in future meetings. The developers plans are years in the making. The first public glimpse came more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic that has slowed real estate development and leasing and left questions about how long it will take for the core of the city to fully recover. Haiti - France : Call for projects to Civil Society organizations As part of the Fund for Innovative Projects of Civil Societies and Coalitions of Actors (PISCCA 2021-2022), the Embassy of France in Haiti is launching a new call for projects to civil society organizations. As part of this call for projects, the Embassy of France in Haiti wished to direct its aid more specifically towards the components of civil society whose main concern is the promotion of women's rights in all of its dimensions, especially citizens, economic, as well as those related to health and dignity. The projects that will be financed must be totally dedicated to improving the living conditions of Haitian girls and women. Women's associations are strongly encouraged to participate in this call for projects, without excluding other organizations. The Cooperation and Cultural Action Department of the French Embassy in Haiti invites all organizations wishing, within the framework of this support fund, to carefully read the presentation of PISCCA Download the presentation : https://ht.ambafrance.org/IMG/pdf/1_piscca_2021-2022_appel_a_projets.pdf?5080/955cea7697b3a815d0acdbf89b5d841b9591cf6d Download Grant form : https://ht.ambafrance.org/IMG/docx/2_formulaire_de_subvention_piscca-2021_2022.docx?5081/1dff86ea7d64c77f719a84b36667c565df93e1eb Download Provisional activity budget : https://ht.ambafrance.org/IMG/xlsx/3_budget_previsionnel__nom_de_l_osc.xlsx?5082/e45a2c1d8867ecccb2a2e9d36045f9863e1c9555 Download Chronogram of activities : https://ht.ambafrance.org/IMG/xls/4_chronogramme_d_activite_nom_de_l_osc.xls?5083/0ff8eae00601bca975f727e54fc0c9e422c95ecf In order to constitute a complete file, carefully fill out the grant form as well as the two annexed documents (budget and timetable) and send your file by email to the address: euclide.beaufort@diplomatie.gouv.fr Deadline for sending files is Wednesday, May 5. Late arrivals will not be processed. HL/ HaitiLibre A man who attacked a long-standing friend after a night out and then tried to get into the River Liffey has received a fully suspended sentence. Colin Doyle (26) and Tiarnan Ollry had been walking home when a conversation between them became heated. Garda Emma Gleeson told John Berry BL, prosecuting, that Doyle turned to Mr Ollry and said hit me and Ill put you to the ground. Mr Ollry later told the gardai he recalled replying Id love to but I wont before he came to on the ground. He then spotted Doyle with one leg over the quay wall on his way into the River Liffey and asked a passer-by to help his friend. He was taken to hospital by ambulance and Doyle was helped by a passer-by and put into a taxi. Gda Gleeson said Mr Ollry initially told gardai that he didnt want to make a complaint about the assault or identify his attacker because he didnt want to get him into trouble. He later contacted gardai and made a formal complaint. Doyle was arrested and was remorseful and co-operated with the garda investigation. He admitted punching his friend and said he thought he kicked him. He saw blood and wanted to jump into the river because he couldnt believe what he had done. Gda Gleeson said Mr Ollry was discharged after an overnight stay in accident and emergency but returned a few days later when he had to undergo surgery to repair damage to his face. He had multiple facial fractures and his nose had to be re-set. Doyle of Woodview, Lucan, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm in Dublin City Centre on May 10, 2019. Judge Melanie Greally had adjourned the case having first heard evidence last March. She ordered a report from the Probation Service to determine if Doyle would be a suitable candidate for community service and restorative justice. The judge said at that hearing that the injuries suffered were very serious and the impact on Mr Ollry severe but said there was an abundance of mitigation from the accuseds point of view. It is a very difficult case, she said. On Thursday she said the wider implication of the assault was the disintegration of the social circle which both Doyle and Mr Ollry were central to and the estrangement of their respective families. Mr Berry told the court that the victim no longer wishes to engage in any restorative justice scheme. Judge Greally sentenced Doyle to three years imprisonment, but suspended the sentence in its entirety on strict conditions including that he not come into prolonged and deliberate contact with Mr Ollry. She also ordered that 10,000 which was offered by the accused as a token of his remorse be handed over the the injured party. At the previous sentencing hearing in March, Gda Gleeson accepted that Doyle has no previous convictions and is otherwise a person of good character. In a victim impact statement Mr Ollry said he needed an operation after he got punches and kicks to the head. He has since suffered short term memory loss and experiences mood swings. He finds himself more irritable and distant. He said his quality of life has been heavily impacted as he has fallen out with friends, is depressed and feels isolated. Mr Ollry said he has seen Doyle a few times in the local area and claimed that the man never said anything to him. He said he can still see a spot in his left eye which is a constant reminder of what happened. I still dont know why he did that to me, Mr Ollry concluded in his statement. Gda Gleeson agreed with Rebecca Smith BL, defending, that this is genuinely a once off incident for Doyle and he always made it clear he was going to plead guilty. She acknowledged that he has written a letter of apology and is remorseful. Ms Smith handed in various reports and testimonials that speak of his good character. She said her client had saved half of the 10,000 himself by putting money away every week because he always intended to cover the medical bills. Ms Smith said Doyle has since suffered panic attacks and no longer drinks alcohol. He still doesnt know why he did what he did. He acknowledges that he lost his best friend, counsel continued. She said Doyle felt he could not speak to Mr Ollry when he met him in the local area because of the ongoing proceedings. Max Verstappen doesn't have the best memories of racing in Italy, but that doesn't matter much to the Dutchman. He's looking forward to the race in Imola and sees no reason why his team can't be competitive this weekend too. Bad luck in Italy In 2020, Verstappen had a lot of bad luck during the races in Italy. In Monzo, Mugello and Imola, Verstappen did not reach the finish, because he crashed out or had other problems. None of the times it was his fault. Verstappen speaks of coincidence, however, when it comes to the 'Italian curse'. ''I've had a lot of bad luck in Italy, but it's a nice country for a holiday and the food is good. I'm not worried about it. That it went wrong so often here is a coincidence. It could have been different. Monza has never really been our circuit, but we were fast at Mugello and here we were doing well last year until the Pirelli broke down," said Verstappen according to the NOS. Duels with Hamilton An important measure of Verstappen's hopes comes from the RB16B. The Dutchman's car was very fast in Bahrain, and Verstappen assumes the same will be true in Imola. ''The car feels top. I have a good feeling about the car and I don't see any reason why we can't perform well.'' It will not be easy for Verstappen. In Imola, he will again have to deal with Lewis Hamilton, who stole victory from him in Bahrain. ''Duels with Lewis are fun. Fair, hard fights. It almost always ends well. We also get on well with each other'', Verstappen concludes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that he requested a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I requested it when four of our servicemen were killed and another two were wounded. I asked the head of the Presidential Office to get in touch with them. I wanted to talk to Vladimir Putin. They did not confirm the conversation. It did not take place. At first, they said officially that there was no such request. But I remember asking them," Zelensky said in an interview with the French media outlet Le Figaro published on the presidential website on Friday. "By the way, this is important, because I have been asked whether Russia wants to end this war. This question can be answered with deeds: I called, but they did not answer. This is my reply today," he said. As reported earlier, Zelensky invited Putin to talks on the need to de-escalate the situation in Donbas immediately after the death of four Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen in an attack near the village of Shumy, Donetsk region, on March 26. "No positive reply to this request has arrived," the Ukrainian president's press secretary Yulia Mendel said then. Union Minister for state V Muraleedharan called upon former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan on Friday, a day after the Supreme Court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the 1994 espionage case against the former ISRO scientist. Speaking on his meeting with the former ISRO scientist, Muraleedharan said, ''I came to express my happiness on the SC's order. It is sad that his career and life was spoiled by those people who were behind the cases that were fostered against it.'' The apex court, on Thursday, was hearing the Centre's plea seeking consideration of the report filed by a high-level committee regarding the role of erring police officials in the 1994 espionage case relating to Nambi Narayanan, who had been acquitted and was eventually awarded Rs 50 lakh as compensation by the Supreme Court in 2018. As of now, the apex court has accepted the report by the committee, which it had appointed and asked the CBI to carry out further investigation in the 1994 espionage case. The CBI has been directed to submit its report within 3 months. Nambi Narayanan welcomes CBI probe "I am happy. I sought a central agency probe that led to the conspiracy that delayed the country's cryogenic project", said Nambi Narayanan after the SC's order. SRO espionage case Former director of the cryogenic project at ISRO, Scientist S. Nambi Narayanan was arrested for his alleged involvement in the controversial espionage case with other ISRO staff after Maldivian national Mariam Rasheeda was arrested in Thiruvananthapuram for allegedly obtaining secret sketches of the ISRO rocket engines, to sell them to Pakistan. The SC had set up the panel after repeatedly observing that Narayanan had faced "tremendous harassment" at the hands of the authorities, while the CBI which took over the case in 1996 also had observed that "the ISRO espionage case accusing Narayanan of wrongdoing is false, and there is no evidence to back the charges," the CBI had stated in 1996, 2018 and has now reiterated the facts in the apex court. Three years later i.e. in 1995, Narayanan was released on bail, he had approached the National Human Rights Commission seeking compensation from the Kerala government, for the mental agony that he had suffered in the process. An SIT team was constituted to probe the matter after which Narayanan was arrested. After the case was transferred to CBI, the premier investigating body discovered that then top police officials in the SIT team in Kerala were responsible for Narayanan's illegal arrest, PTI reported. In 2018, the SC appointed a three-member panel headed by former judge D K Jain, while the Kerala government was directed to give Narayanan a compensation of Rs 50 lakh, as he underwent "immense humiliation." An SC bench headed by CJI Dipak Misra, in 2018, had observed "We are of the view that the appellant was arrested and he has suffered custody for almost 50 days. His arrest has been seriously criticised in the closure report of the CBI. From the aforesaid report, the harassment and mental torture faced by the appellant is obvious. For almost two and a half years, the panel studied the developments that led to the arrest of Narayanan and scrapped the allegations against the senior ISRO scientist. Meanwhile, ISRO Deputy Director D Sasikumaran and Fousiya Hasan, a Maldivian friend of Rasheeda were also arrested with Narayanan. However, the SC time and again observed the actions initiated against the ISRO scientist to be a "psycho-pathological treatment". Moreover, the panel also noted that the officials responsible for causing such a "harrowing effect' on Narayanan's mind, must face "legal consequences" while the court reiterated "the Kerala government must compensate the ISRO scientist." More details over the report submitted by the panel are yet to be ascertained. Highlights South Korea-based Ryu Hyun-soo says he would not ever give up on LG smartphones that he has bought over the years. The fact that LG will not make any more smartphones does not bother him at all. 53-year-old Ryu had collected over 90 LG smartphones in over 23 years. LG has exited the smartphone business, but that does not seem to affect its fan, who has collected over 90 LG smartphones over the years. South Korea-based Ryu Hyun-soo calls himself an "LG phone maniac" and says that he would not ever give up on LG smartphones that he has bought over the years. The fact that LG will not make any more smartphones does not bother him at all. Ryu Hoo, who was bowled over by LG's audio quality, fits the description of a perfect brand loyalist. He seems to be more devoted than any fan can ever be. As per a Reuters report, 53-year-old Ryu had collected over 90 LG smartphones in over 23 years. He said that the audio quality of the smartphones and the design appeased him a lot. "I went all-in on the LG phones due to the audio," he told Ryu. Ryu has a special room for all his smartphones along with parts and tools to fix them at his residence in Anyang, south of Seoul. LG had decided to close down its smartphone business due to a huge slump in revenue. The LG smartphones including the Wing, Velvet, Q-series, W-series, and K-series, will continue to sell until the inventory exits. The company will not produce any new smartphones and has plans to wind down the entire mobile phone business by July 31. Ryu, who is a huge LG fan, said that the company suffered losses because it was busy matching up with the competition without paying much heed to the quality of its own devices. "I think they were rushing to catch up (with Samsung), sacrificing the quality ... (and) to cover up the issue, the company was focusing too much on the design and other functions," he said. However, LG decision to quit has not affected him personally. Ryu plans to use his LG phones as he can buy the parts online if anything goes wrong with the phones. "It is easy to replace parts if you practice a little. I'm not sure when the parts will be out of stock, but I'll continue to use the LG phones as long as the parts are still being supplied," he said. Ryu even compared his LG phones to a friend with whom he has shared the ups and downs for life. While the Samsung phones are more like a smart friend, Apple iPhone is a girlfriend to him. A teenage couple is accused of killing the girl's father, whose burned body was found in the garage of his Las Vegas home. Aaron Guerrero, 18, and a 16-year-old girl were arrested Tuesday in Salt Lake City and will be extradited to Las Vegas for open murder charges, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a press release. Police did not name the girl. The victim was identified as Daniel Halseth, the girl's father, according to NBC affiliate KSNV. The scene where 45-year-old Daniel Halseth of Las Vegas was found dead, on April 9, 2021. (Lauren Clark / KSNV) Officers were called to a Las Vegas home just before 2:30 p.m. on April 9 for a report of a burned body, the police press release states. Evidence indicated that the victim was murdered and then a fire was intentionally set at the home in an attempt to burn it down, according to the release. The Clark County Coroner's Office told KSNV that Halseth died from sharp force injuries. Guerrero was in a relationship with the girl and the two were planning to run away together to Los Angeles, according to KSNV, citing an arrest warrant. Their parents apparently knew about the plan and forbid them from seeing each other. Police were contacted after Halseth's ex-wife said she had noticed unusual withdrawals from a bank account she shared with him, and she could not reach him. A search of Halseth's home found blood on a knife and handsaw, according to KSNV. Authorities also believe that the teens tried to clean up the kitchen before fleeing. Guerrero was allegedly caught on surveillance video at a hardware store buying a saw, lighter fluid, and disposable gloves, KSNV reported. The girl was seen on video buying bleach from a grocery store, according to the outlet. The teens were arrested in Salt Lake City after they were stopped for failing to pay a light rail transit fare. Online court records did not list an attorney for Guerrero. Former Deputy Minister of Energy, John Jinapor has disclosed that the challenge with the energy sector has to do with the congestion in the transmission lines and not the generation of electric power. According to him, the Akufo-Addo government for more than two years has not carried out any maintenance activities and upgraded the transmission system of GRIDCo due to lack of money. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the lawmaker for Yapei/Kusawgu Constituency maintained that the current power outage is a result of the high tensions from GRIDCo being congested for over a period of time due to the fact that there are not enough funds to upgrade the system and do maintenance. But the truth of the matter in this power outage is that the high tension from the GRID is congested; that is the fact and it has been congested for over a period of time and that is why from time to time, GRIDCo should have money to upgrade their system and do maintenance so that we dont experience such a situation in the country, he asserted. He, however, blamed President Akufo-Addo for the lack of money for GRIDCo to carry out its maintenance policy and upgrading as the President went to Parliament to announce the reduction of electricity tariffs to score political points at the detriment of the utility companies. When President Akufo-Addo went to Parliament to say that he has reduced electricity tariffs, the GRIDCo CEO was not happy with the President on that decision because the company needs money to maintain the high tension. The NPP scored political points out of the reduction in the electricity tariffs and Ghanaians were happy but the downside is that the utility companies need money to upgrade their systems, he indicated. Transmission lines do not get congested overnight because the demand will continue to increase and so it has gotten to a point where the transmission lines cannot carry the load again. The only way it will be able to carry the load is to reduce the load on the transmission and if that happens, some people will experience lights-out and that is what they dont want to do, and so we are experiencing low and high voltage due to the pressure on the transmission lines, he explained. Watch Video Below Source: Daniel Adu Darko/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 Flash A pause on the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine should continue until more is known about the rare blood clotting cases that emerged in recipients, according to an advisory committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met on Wednesday and focused on safety data of the vaccine and thromboembolic events. The committee will meet again in a week to 10 days to evaluate more data that is expected to become available. The meeting came a day after the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called for a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, after six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot. In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets. All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. "We do not know enough yet to say if the vaccine is related to or caused this health issue. To be extra careful, CDC and FDA recommend that the vaccine not be given until we learn more," said the CDC on its website. Of the nearly 7 million doses administered so far in the United States, a small number of cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot have been reported in people after receiving the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, said the CDC. As of April 13, no cases have been reported among the more than 180 million people who received the other two authorized vaccines in the country, which are developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, according to the CDC. Several U.S. states have halted the use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, and are helping people who have scheduled the Johnson & Johnson shot to reschedule either of the other two vaccines. A new poll shows public trust in the safety of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine dropped 15 percentage points among Americans after federal health agencies recommended "pause" in its use. Adults who said they believed the single-dose shot was safe dropped from 52% before the pause was announced Tuesday to 37% afterward, according to a survey conducted by the global opinion and data firm YouGov along with The Economist. Respondents who felt the Johnson & Johnson vaccine "unsafe" increased from 26% to 39%. INDIANAPOLIS The man who police say fatally shot eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis is a former employee. FedEx spokesperson Bonny Harrison released the information Friday. She says company officials cant speculate on a motive but are working closely with investigators. The shooter was identified as 19-year-old Brandon Scott Hole of Indiana, two law enforcement officials briefed on the matter told The Associated Press. The investigators searched a home in Indianapolis associated with Hole and seized evidence, including desktop computers and other electronic media, the officials said. The officials could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Indianapolis Deputy Police Chief Craig McCartt said the gunman started randomly shooting at people in the parking lot and then went into the building and continued firing. He said the shooter apparently died by suicide shortly before police entered the building. There was no confrontation with anyone that was there, he said. There was no disturbance, there was no argument. He just appeared to randomly start shooting. McCartt said four people were killed outside the building and another four inside. Several people were also wounded, including five who were taken to the hospital. The carnage took just a couple of minutes. It did not last very long, he said. Officials with the coroners office began the process of identifying victims Friday afternoon, a process they said would take several hours. Police Chief Randal Taylor noted that a significant number of employees at the facility are members of the Sikh community, and the Sikh Coalition later confirmed that members of the community were among the wounded and killed. The coalition, which identifies itself as the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the U.S., said in a statement that it expected authorities to conduct a full investigation including the possibility of bias as a factor. The coalitions executive director, Satjeet Kaur, noted in the statement that more than 8,000 Sikh Americans live in Indiana. The families agonizing waiting was exacerbated by the fact that most employees arent allowed to carry cellphones inside the FedEx building, making contact with them difficult. When you see notifications on your phone, but youre not getting a text back from your kid and youre not getting information and you still dont know where they are what are you supposed to do? Mindy Carson said early Friday, fighting back tears. Later Friday morning, Carson said she had heard from her daughter Jessica, who works in the facility and that she was OK. She was going to meet her, but didnt say where. FedEx said in a statement that cellphone access is limited to a small number of workers in the dock and package sorting areas to support safety protocols and minimize potential distractions. FedEx Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frederick Smith called the shooting a senseless act of violence. This is a devastating day, and words are hard to describe the emotions we all feel, he wrote in an email to employees. The killings marked the latest in a string of recent mass shootings across the country and the third mass shooting this year in Indianapolis. Five people, including a pregnant woman, were shot and killed in the city in January, and a man was accused of killing three adults and a child before abducting his daughter during at argument at a home in March. In other states last month, eight people were fatally shot at massage businesses in the Atlanta area, and 10 died in gunfire at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the community must guard against resignation and the assumption that this is simply how it must be and we might as well get used to it. President Joe Biden said he had been briefed on the shooting and called gun violence an epidemic in the U.S. Too many Americans are dying every single day from gun violence. It stains our character and pierces the very soul of our nation, he said in a statement. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was horrified and heartbroken by the shooting and called for congressional action on gun control. As we pray for the families of all affected, we must work urgently to enact commonsense gun violence prevention laws to save lives & prevent this suffering, the Democratic leader said in a tweet. A witness said he was working inside the building when he heard several gunshots in rapid succession. I see a man come out with a rifle in his hand and he starts firing and he starts yelling stuff that I could not understand, Levi Miller told WTHR-TV. What I ended up doing was ducking down to make sure he did not see me because I thought he would see me and he would shoot me. A man told WTTV that his niece was sitting in the drivers seat of her car when the gunfire erupted, and she was wounded. She got shot on her left arm, said Parminder Singh. Shes fine, shes in the hospital now. Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered flags to be flown at half-staff until April 20, and he and others decried the shooting. Chris Bavender, a spokesperson for the FBIs Indianapolis --The Associated Press Chennai, April 16 : The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu are facing the heat as the second wave of Covid-19 surges ahead with each passing day. M. Senthilnathan, who has a foundry business in Coimbatore Industrial Estate, told IANS, "I was doing a business of Rs 12 to Rs 15 lakh per month and it has fallen by more than 60 per cent and our staff strength which was 16 has now come down to five with almost all the contract workers having left for their hometowns." Another major issue faced by the small industries is the sky-rocketing prices of raw materials and without any credit being extended by the raw material suppliers, the industries face a major revenue gap as they have to sell the finished product with a credit period of more than two months. Kumaradas, who is running a unit producing nuts, bolts, screws etc for the pump manufacturers of Coimbatore has felt the heat due to the Covid surge since 2020. While he was doing brisk business till March 2020 when the country went for a lockdown, the present situation is grim and bleak. Speaking to IANS, the 44-year-old Kumaradas said, "I was doing brisk business and had no credit and no loans even though I had bought a few new machines but all the loans were paid back. I had more than 25 workers and was doing business to the tune of Rs 20 lakh a month but it's all gone now. After the lockdown was lifted, we were just recovering but the second wave of the pandemic has wrecked all plans and soon I will run into debts as business has been severely hit and no credit is being extended by raw material suppliers." Coimbatore has nearly 50,000 MSMEs which employ more than 5 lakh people and a large percentage of these workers are from outside the state. Thomas Vargheese, who is running a small unit making industrial gaskets, is facing a tough time. Speaking to IANS, he said, "We have 30 employees of whom 20 are from outside Tamil Nadu, mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. They wanted to go home fearing a second lockdown and I am trying to retain them by providing them everything, including extra salary, and am trying to inoculate them but most of them are young and hence not in the age bracket for vaccination." The MSMEs have given several representations to the state and the Central governments urging them to form a price monitoring committee for regulating the price of raw materials. As many as 19 industrial associations have come together to discuss the further course of action to control the spiralling prices of raw materials. C. Sivakumar of Coimbatore Tirupur District Micro and Cottage Entrepreneurs Association, speaking to IANS said, "We cannot bear another lockdown and have taken all precautions to prevent it. We have made it mandatory that all workers wear masks, sanitise regularly and maintain social distancing." The MSMEs in Coimbatore expect the government to intervene regarding raw materials and have launched an awareness programme among the workers about the Covid surge. The associations are using various platforms, including social media and caricatures, to convey the message of following Covid protocols, including mask, social distancing and sanitation, to the workers so that they stay back. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Even after recent dramas #OscarsSoWhite controversies and the fiasco when La La Land was wrongly named best picture an Academy Award remains the ultimate prize in the movie industry. Its a validation of excellence that comes with more than 90 years of history, celebrity and glamour as emotional as winning an Olympic gold medal for everyone from famous directors and actors to unknown visual effects technicians, make-up artists and the creators of animated shorts. How do you win one of these? Credit:AP Part of the cachet is mixing with the movie elite at a ceremony in Los Angeles every February or March (moved to April this year because of the pandemic). But Oscars are also famously hard to win. Some of the worlds greatest filmmakers Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Howard Hawks, Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa have never won best director. And while it might change this year, American director Kathryn Bigelow is the only woman to have won. To win an Oscar, you could rely on decades of dedication to your craft, hard work, smart career decisions, industry connections and plain good luck but there are ways to boost your chances. You could direct a movie for Pixar, for example, given the studio has won best animated feature 10 out of the past 17 times. You could become a key member of a sound team on a big war, action, sci-fi or music movie, given those genres have dominated. Advertisement If youre an actor, find a story about the struggles of someone famous and, ideally, beloved. The long list of winners in this category recently include Renee Zellweger as Judy Garland, Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury and Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill. Or, if you are wealthy enough, you could position yourself as a Hollywood producer delivering finance to prestige movies a route that has led to much disappointment and diminished bank balances over the years. Laura Dern, left, and Renee Zellweger with their Oscars after winning last year. Credit:Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Winning best picture at the Oscars, though, is like winning the lottery. It can be highly rewarding but you have to beat the odds against thousands of movies released around the world every year. How does a movie get to be considered? Who votes for the winner? Is there a type of movie that usually wins best picture? And whats in with a chance this year? How do movies qualify for best picture? Given the awards take place in Los Angeles, a movie traditionally has to have at least a seven-day run in the county in the previous calendar year at least three times a day including once at night to qualify. Advertisement The best picture award goes to the producers of a movie, who oversee the production, rather than the director, who is the main creative force. Given there are often many producers, executive producers and co-producers, only the key ones are included. That meant some big names missed out this year: Margot Robbie, who is a producer on Promising Young Woman, and Brad Pitt and Steven Yeun, who were executive producers on Minari. Movie professionals who are members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences all get to vote firstly for the nominees then the winner. Six years ago, there were 6261 members but, after repeated controversy about the lack of diversity, the Academy has expanded its membership to more than 9900 members. There was a time when box-office hits such as The Godfather, Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King won best picture. But when prestige independent movies began dominating, the Academy expanded the number of nominees from five. Now, after some tweaking, there can be up to 10 nominees but each one has to get at least 5 per cent of first-place votes to qualify. As with Australian elections, the winner is determined by preferential voting. To get a movie in front of voters during Hollywoods awards season, which traditionally starts in November and finishes with the Oscars, a distributor or streaming service will often premiere it at a major festival in September Venice in Italy, Toronto in Canada and/or Telluride in Colorado. While well-funded marketing teams will coyly advertise movies for your consideration, most campaigning takes place behind the scenes. How much does campaigning matter? Advertisement While the Oscars has always seemed more serious and upstanding than the Hollywood Foreign Press Associations Golden Globes Ricky Gervais regularly joked about its ethical standards during his years as host aggressive lobbying has sometimes crossed the line and has led to the tightening of campaign rules. The now-disgraced producer-distributor Harvey Weinstein ran what he called guerilla campaigns that Forbes magazine has calculated resulted in 341 nominations and 81 wins from 1990 to 2016, including best picture for The English Patient, Shakespeare In Love, Chicago, The Kings Speech and The Artist. The now disgraced Harvey Weinstein, second left, celebrates alongside Gwynneth Paltrow after Shakespeare in Love won the best picture Oscar in 1999. Credit:Monica Almeida Vulture has reported that Weinsteins campaign tactics included paying veteran publicists who were Academy members to schmooze other prominent members, spending $US5 million to campaign for Shakespeare in Love at a time when studios were spending $US2 million, running smear campaigns against rivals such as A Beautiful Mind, The Pianist and The Hurt Locker, and getting a publicist to write an opinion piece praising Martin Scorsese for Gangs of New York in the name of Sound of Music director Robert Wise. So is campaigning all above board now? Certainly, there are strict rules but an Australian Academy member in the US says a limit on wining and dining voters seemed to be regularly breached before the pandemic and has been wound back only since nominations were announced this year. Pre-COVID, Academy members could count on at least two months four days a week of lavish dinners at exclusive restaurants with the cast and director following a cinema screening of a contending movie, the member says. With the pandemic, the dinner comes to your house, with Netflix offering $US100 vouchers for UberEats plus care packages such as very expensive whisky along with two crystal glasses and special chocolates. Advertisement Loading Another Australian member, based in Sydney, says there has been an awful lot of online lobbying plus double copies of movies on DVD and Blu-Ray and up to three postcards a day reminding voters how great certain movies are ... but no gifts or food delivery vouchers. Netflix, which leads the Oscar nominations with 35 this year, has become the new campaigning heavy-hitter. Even though an executive denied a report that it spent more than $US100 million campaigning last year, it is widely believed the streaming service at least matches other studios $US5 million to $US20 million per movie and has more in contention. As well as extensive advertising TV, print, online and billboards awards campaigns traditionally include screenings, parties and travel for contenders to events and festivals both in the US and internationally. In more conventional marketing terms, they will craft narratives that will appeal to voters, such as detailing the extreme measures that Leonardo DiCaprio took to shoot The Revenant or why Laura Dern was overdue to win for Marriage Story. For a filmmaker, a win can open up well-paid future opportunities. Distributors hope a win makes money for them from sales for streaming, television and other platforms. Streaming services want to attract new subscribers and keep existing ones. Jean Dujardin, left, and Berenice Bejo in The Artist. Credit:Roadshow What type of movies win? Advertisement Burma Six Civilians Killed in Protest-Related Clash With Myanmar Regime's Troops Residents in Kani Township, Sagaing Region, take to the streets against the military regime on March 30. / CJ At least six civilians were shot dead and at least 20 were still missing on Thursday evening in Kani Township, Sagaing Region, during a shootout between the regimes security forces and a civilian protection group formed by anti-regime protesters. A protester from the protection group in Kani told The Irrawaddy the shootout came after the security forces detained more than 70 protesters, including leading members of the protest committee in Kani Township. We heard that detained protesters were taken by the police and soldiers. The group tried to release them and waited at the checkpoint on the Kani-Monywa highway, he said. While we were checking the vehicles, a military officer refused to stop the car and started shooting into the protection group. Later around 14 military vehicles opened fire randomly, he added. The protection group used traditional, homemade percussion-lock firearms for about four hours until about 8:30pm. The group said three Mogaung villagers and another three men from Htan Sin, Lalshay and Thaminyat villages were shot dead during the fighting. People are still missing this evening. We heard some monks were also arrested by the military. We dont know what happened to them. We also dont know the causalities from the military side, a resident said. Military security tightened on all the main roads in Kani Township on Friday. On April 2, three civilians in Thapyay Aye village, Kani Township, were shot dead by the regime during a protest crackdown. Since the military regime used hand grenades and explosives to crackdown on protesters, civilians across the country have protected themselves with homemade firearms, gas-pressure guns, bows and arrows and Molotov cocktails. Some townships in Sagaing Region, including Kale, launched an offensive against the juntas forces by using traditional, homemade firearms. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at least 726 people had been killed and 4,034 detained by the regime by Thursday. You may also like these stories: Whos Who in Myanmars National Unity Government Myanmar Military Suffers Heavy Casualties in Attacks by Ethnic Armed Group in Kachin State Coup Leader Expected to Attend ASEAN Summit on Myanmar on April 24 Mumbai: The correction in gold prices in recent months is not expected to materially impact the asset quality of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) lending against gold. Apart from periodically collecting interest over the past few fiscals, they have ensured that disbursement loan-to-value (LTV) is maintained below 75 per cent, ratings agency Crisil said. On a 30-day rolling basis, gold price has corrected 10 per cent over the past six months, while on an absolute basis it fell twice that rate. For NBFCs, the average portfolio LTV as on December 31, 2020, was 63-67 per cent, while average LTV on incremental disbursements in the October-December 2020 quarter was 70 per cent. The LTV discipline is also evident in interest receivables remaining at just 2-4 per cent of the loan book over the past few years. For banks, however, incremental-disbursement LTV was higher at 78-82 per cent because they were more aggressive than NBFCs in lending against gold during last fiscal. Much of the growth in their book came during the third quarter of the last fiscal, when gold prices were soaring. Since June 2020, loans against gold surged even as lending to other segments was affected by asset-quality concerns. In the 11 months through February 2021, loans against gold grew 70 per cent for banks to over Rs 56,000 crore. What further contributed to this growth was the LTV relaxation to 90 per cent (only for banks) announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in August 2020. Krishnan Sitaraman, Senior Director & Deputy Chief Ratings Officer, Crisil Ratings, said: "The average LTV of the gold-loan books of banks is estimated at 75-80 per cent currently versus 70 per cent before the RBI relaxation. Given that gold prices have dropped 18-20 per cent from their August peaks on an absolute basis, without periodic interest collections, the books of banks may be susceptible to asset-quality issues to some extent. However, with the LTV dispensation period ending in March 2021, incremental lending would have more LTV cushion." Disbursement LTV and timely interest collection have a significant bearing on the cushion available with lenders in terms of value of gold given as collateral compared with the loan outstanding. This, in turn, impacts asset quality. Therefore, robust risk management systems and timely auctions are crucial to offset volatility in gold prices and ultimate credit loss. Ajit Velonie, Director, CRISIL Ratings, said: "While gross non-performing assets (GNPA) could rise, ultimate credit cost - a more appropriate indicator of asset quality for gold loans - is not expected to. Historically, while GNPAs had risen to as much as 7 per cent for NBFCs, credit costs were low at 10-80 basis points. This underscores sound business acumen and strong track record of timely auctions. For banks, given the sharp growth they have seen, monitoring LTV and staying agile are imperatives to avert potential asset-quality challenges." In far too many cases, social media has become a cesspool where teachers tear each other apart, launch personal attacks against politicians, and try to bully their colleagues into silence. (DENIS CHARLET/AFP via Getty Images) Social Media Is a Mighty Pen Indeed Commentary The pen is mightier than the sword. So said English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839. Essentially, Bulwer-Lytton meant that the written word is more effective at achieving lasting results than violence or the threat of violence. Its not hard to see why this is the case. The threat of violence might lead to outward compliance, but a well-crafted argument can and will change hearts. A changed heart means a lot more than outward compliance, particularly if a lasting change is wanted. Like any other tool, the pen can be used for good or for bad. Words can build other people up, share valuable information, and be used to convey effective arguments. On the other hand, words can also be used to tear others down, promote harmful misinformation, or to peddle discredited arguments. This is why our teachers told us to choose our words carefully. Today, thanks to social media, the pen is mightier than ever. It used to be that our words had a limited reach and only impacted people we personally knew. But now social media makes it easy for our words to be read by millions of people around the world. The impact of social media on teachers has been profound. Through platforms such as Twitter, teachers now have unprecedented access to colleagues and students. There are many reasons why this is a positive development. For example, no longer do teachers have to wonder whether the latest fad being promoted by the guest speaker at their schools in-service is actually supported by research. If you want to know whether a theory has any validity, a single tweet is all it takes to get dozens of responses from fellow teachers who will happily share links to research studies either supporting or debunking the claim. In addition, teachers can use social media to share teaching ideas, collaborate on lesson plans, and provide emotional support to each other. Clearly, social media has done a lot of good for the teaching profession. Sadly, however, social media is not an unmitigated good. While the pen is said to be mightier than the sword, this does not make it more virtuous. In far too many cases, social media has become a cesspool where teachers tear each other apart, launch personal attacks against politicians, and try to bully their colleagues into silence. For example, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce has been the target of a torrent of personal abuse from teachers on Twitter. While these teachers have every right to disagree with Lecces political decisions, they do not have the right to attack him personally. Reading some of the horrible tweets directed at Lecce makes me embarrassed to be a teacher. Similarly, Alberta Education Minister Adriana LaGrange is being heavily criticized for introducing controversial changes to the K6 curriculum in that province. Again, criticisms of the curriculum are fair game, but the constant barrage of personal insults directed at LaGrange on Twitter are not. It gets even uglier when teachers launch personal attacks against other teachers. Ive experienced this myself. Last August, I put out a single tweet endorsing the Manitoba governments back-to-school plan. Within hours, there were dozens of tweets attacking me, and many of those individuals identified themselves as teachers. These critics accused me of being a shill for the provincial government and even claimed that I didnt care if kids died from COVID-19. Some even went so far as to mock my religious beliefs and used the fact that I wrote a book about the Bible to claim that Im a religious nutcase. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant experience. The unfortunate reality is that many teachers have been victims of social media mobs. It gets particularly nasty when people try to get dissenting teachers in trouble with their employers. This has a chilling effect on free speech. It is also a surefire way to enforce conformity rather than allowing creativity and different opinions to flourish. A pen used to destroy other people is still mightier than the sword, but its a whole lot deadlier today because of social media. Considering how much social media amplifies our words, its more important than ever that we consider carefully the impact of the things we post online. An important rule is to not post ad hominem attacks. Keep your disagreements to issues and opinions. Social media is a mighty pen in the hands of teachers. Lets make sure we wield it wisely. Michael Zwaagstra is a public high school teacher, a senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, and author of The Naked Man Flees: Timeless Truths from Obscure Parts of the Bible. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The boss of one of Australias biggest banks is urging state and territory governments to revamp planning rules to encourage more housing development amid forecasts of double-digit price growth for 2021. NAB chief executive Ross McEwan told MPs at the House of Representatives Standing Committee public hearing into the banks on Friday that while he strongly supported first-home buyer incentives, the lack of new homes was an unsolved problem for housing affordability. Property prices have surged nationally this year. Credit:Daniel Munoz We know supply is restricted and the states need to streamline approval processes for land development and residential construction, Mr McEwan said. Without decisive moves to increase housing supply, demand side incentives will inevitably act to push up house prices further and faster. The federal, state and territory governments have offered generous incentives for new home builders and first-time buyers over the past 12 months, including the HomeBuilder grant that ended last month. These grants, combined with record low interest rates and few homes listed for sale contributed to house prices surging in March at their fastest pace in three decades, latest CoreLogic figures show. Tim Robards has truly embraced fatherhood since welcoming his daughter Elle last year with his wife Anna Heinrich. On Friday, the 38-year-old shared a sweet photo of his little girl in an Instagram post, while the pair enjoyed a sunset stroll. The former Bachelor star beamed as he posed beside his daughter, who looked truly blissed out by the view. Dad duty: Tim Robards a sweet photo of his little girl in an Instagram post, while the pair enjoyed a sunset stroll on Friday. Tim and his daughter Elle are pictured Tim captioned the photo: 'The romantic sunset walks are ALL mine for at least the next 18 years!' Earlier this month, the doting dad shared an image of the totwrapped in a pink hooded towel that was customised with her name embroidered on it. The hood of the five-month-old's towel featured a cute unicorn horn and mane. Aww! Earlier this month, the doting dad shared an image of the totwrapped in unicorn outfit 'And they say unicorns don't exist... pppffftt!!' The former Bachelor wrote in the caption, adding a special thank you to his friend who bought the gift for the bub. Tim and Anna also took Elle to the Sydney Royal Easter Show earlier this month. 'Exhausted and full of sugar #weouttahere #EasterShow. First time in the big girl's pram (& loving it),' she captioned the post on last Friday. The couple announced Elle's birth on November 14. She looks happy! Tim and his wife Anna Heinrich (right) took the little one to the Sydney Easter Show earlier this month Anna told Who magazine in February that has been able to navigate the ups and downs of motherhood with the help of her husband. 'I couldn't do it without him,' she said of her actor husband. The pair met on the first season of The Bachelor in 2013 and married in a lavish ceremony in Puglia, Italy, in 2018. Chinese investment spurs Africa's transformation agenda: experts Xinhua) 15:53, April 16, 2021 NAIROBI, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Massive injection of capital from China into Africa's economies is hastening the realization of the continent's transformation agenda and pandemic recovery, experts said on Thursday. The experts, who spoke at the virtual forum organized by the China Business Studies Initiative (CBSI) affiliated with the University of San Francisco in the United States, said that African countries should leverage investments from the Asian nation to realize socio-economic transformation. Marco Tavanti, an international development scholar said that Chinese investments combined with soft power have fuelled a more equitable and inclusive economic growth in Africa. "The presence of Chinese companies in Africa has revolutionized development and bilateral cooperation with the continent," said Tavanti. "China represents a crucial source of foreign direct investments (FDI) in Africa and it also pushes forward the idea of neutrality and non-interference with decision-making processes of partner nations," he added. More than 200 participants including policymakers, scholars and development experts attended the virtual forum titled "Examining China's Investments in African Nations: Promises and Influence". The experts agreed that China-Africa cooperation in diverse spheres like trade, culture, health, education and technology has reshaped the global balance of power. Beatrice Matiri-Maisori, a Kenyan business development expert said that China's footprint in Africa has moved beyond infrastructure development to cover key areas like health, academic exchanges, manufacturing and ICT. "We have seen China become a favorite destination for African youth keen to pursue further studies besides building our industrial capacity and health systems," said Matiri-Maisori. She said that African countries have borrowed best practices from China in their quest to realize aspirations contained in Agenda 2063 including connectivity, green growth and social renewal. "When we hear that China has achieved zero poverty, it is an experience that Africa would like to learn from and apply in its own unique circumstance," said Matiri-Maisori. "We believe in multilateralism and China represents what can be done in a short time for an integrated Africa," she added. Matiri-Maisori said that other lessons Africa would like to learn from China includes urban renewal, the establishment of thriving industrial zones, harnessing renewable energy and ICT to power green growth. "We are looking at a post-pandemic recovery and there is strength in partnership with China," said Matiri-Maisori. Peter Ping Li, an international business scholar said that Chinese firms have managed to establish a large footprint in the African market thanks to agility, innovation and ability to connect with local consumers. He singled out Transsion, a Chinese mobile phone company, for its seamless penetration in the African market linked to innovative branding, prudent supply chain management and regular interaction with clients. Motolani Agbebi, a researcher and human resource expert said that China's investments in Africa have achieved strategic objectives for both sides including job creation and enhanced bilateral trade. "In economic sense, China is a viable development partner for Africa. We will continue to witness China strengthen its economic, diplomatic and cultural ties with Africa," said Agbebi. She said that China is a beneficial and not a malign actor in Africa, adding that the medical supplies donated by the Asian Nation including vaccines have boosted the COVID-19 war in the continent. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu) A sleazy cocktail bar owner has pleaded guilty to sexually touching two women without their consent at a boozy Christmas party last year. David Joseph Antico, 49, who is the licensee of the Foxtrot Inn at Crows Nest on Sydney's lower north shore, was charged by police in January. Antico appeared in Manly Local Court on Thursday to answer the charges, where his lawyer Michael Doughty attempted to have the matter dealt with on mental health grounds. The application was quickly rejected by Magistrate Bruce Williams, who felt Antico's behaviour on the night was 'predatory.' David Joseph Antico, 49, (pictured left with wife Kailey) was charged by police in January with sexually touching two women without their consent Antico (pictured left) attempted to have the two charges dismissed as he was said to be suffering from mental health issues at the time of the offending The court heard Antico's 'high level' of intoxication at the Xmas party could be linked to masking symptoms of depression, with Doughty pointing out his client had already apologised to the two victims. Police facts revealed on the night in question, one of the victims was on the dance floor at the Foxtrot when Antico put his hand up her skirt, the Mosman Daily reported. Later that night the business owner, who has since found a different line of work in the fresh food industry, followed the same woman to the bathroom and attempted to push her cubicle door open as she closed it. Antico, who is married and believed to have two children, told another victim she was a 'bombshell' and later in the evening also crudely touched her buttocks. When handing down his sentencing, Magistrate Williams said Antico's position as the licensee represented a 'power imbalance', before suggesting working in hospitality wasn't a good fit for the venue boss. Antico was sentenced to an 18 months community corrections order, which expires in October of 2022. According to Willoughby Living, David Antico purchased the Foxtrot Inn back with his wife Kailey in the summer of 2016. Mr Antico boasts extensive experience in hospitality, with previous stints at the Commodore Hotel in North Sydney, the Ashfield Hotel, the Universale Hotel in Leichhardt and Bar Luca in the CBD. Soon after purchasing the Foxtrot, the Antico's pushed to make their bar a 'elusive mix of chic, but cozy sophistication.' On the night in question, Mr Antico put his hand up one woman's skirt before placing his hand on another woman's buttocks during a conversation the pair were having Wife of Chinas Conscience Gao Zhisheng Worries He Has Been Murdered The wife of Gao Zhishengknown as Chinas conscienceworries that the Chinese Communist Party has murdered the human rights lawyer. On April 14, she demanded Beijing answer two requests and said she would take further action if they did not acknowledge her right to information on her husband who is in state custody. If Gao Zhisheng is indeed dead, I ask the CCP to return his ashes, out of humanity, wife Geng He told The Epoch Times in a phone interview on April 14. [If Gao is still alive], Id like to be detained in the same prison as Gao. I ask the Chinese embassy to issue a visa to me and let me enter China, Geng added. Gao is a renowned human rights lawyer, dissident, and author in China, and April 20 will be his 57th birthday. He has drawn the ire of the whole communist party state in China because he was a constant spanner in the works, speaking out against the partys mistreatment of common Chinese people. He consistently offered his legal services, often pro bono, to defend vulnerable groups in China since the early 2000s. The regime has had him detained or under house arrest since August 2006. He has also been tortured. On Aug. 13, 2017, Gao disappeared from his brothers house in Jia county, Yulin city, in northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province. The Yulin policy bureau confirmed that the communist party had detained Gao but refused to say where he was being held. April 15 represents the 1,140th day since Gaos disappearance. All this time, the regime has refused Gao any relative visits and has refusing to release any information on him. Wifes Voice Geng He, wife of Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, at a press conference in Hong Kong on June 30, 2019. (Li Yi/The Epoch Times) Gaos wife Geng fled China with their then-16-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son in 2009 with the help of underground faith groups and were offered refuge by the United States. Over the past three years, Geng has kept up pressure on the Chinese authorities for information on her husbands condition but has yet received any response. I called our relatives [in China on April 9] and they told me that they called the Yulin police bureau for Gaos information. The police answered them now U.S.-China relations are tense. Gao is a sensitive figure and nobody can visit Gao, Geng said. Knowing clearly the evil that Chinas communist regime is capable of, a day has not passed where Geng has not been deeply worried for her husband. [The regime] doesnt allow relatives to visit him, doesnt release him, doesnt show his photos Im worried he has died. I want to see him if he is still alive and see his body if he died, Geng told The Epoch Times through tears. The Yulin police bureau has weaved different stories of Gaos whereabouts to his family. Sometimes, they say Gao is detained in Beijing, while days later, they said Gao is detained in Jia county. The Jia county police bureau told the family that Gaos case was being handled by Yulin, and that they dont know anything. Last year, the Yulin police claimed that nobody can visit Gao because of the pandemic, Geng said. Now, they have created another excuse. Human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng. (The Epoch Times) Gao suffered significant torture when he was imprisoned in 2006. On Nov. 28, 2007, he decided to risk his life and explain to the outside world in writings what he had suffered in a black jail in Beijing just months earlier. His writings were smuggled out of China with the help of friends. Four electric batons shocked me at the same time. I felt my organs and muscles were jumping quickly under my skin. They were trying to escape the shocks, Gao wrote in one article titled Dark Night, Dark Hood, and Kidnapping by Dark Mafia. When I was rolling around on the floor because of the pain, the policeman surnamed Wang started to shock my genitals using an electric baton. After hours of being shocked, the police lit five cigarettes at the same time and blew smoke to Gaos nose and eyes for two hours. [At that time,] I could only feel that tears were dripping on my legs. I wasnt even aware of the policemens actions, Gao wrote. The torture continued for over 50 days, and Gao lost consciousness again and again. Geng said she has raised their children into adults now, and that she really wants to accompany her husband no matter how tough the torture he is suffering. Chinas Conscience Gao Zhisheng, Geng He, and their two children in Beijing. (The Epoch Times ) Gao Zhisheng is referred to as Chinas Conscience by many human rights activists inside and outside of China, including former Canadian Secretary of State for the Asia-Pacific David Kilgour. Gao was thrice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, in 2007, 2008, and 2010. In the early 2000s, Gao represented several Falun Gong practitioners in cases seeking redress from the regime, which has outlawed the peaceful Buddha-school spiritual practice. The Falun Gong practitioners were detained and tortured by the regime, and their houses raided just because they refused to denounce their belief in Falun Gongs teachings of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Towards the end of 2004 and early in 2005, Gao wrote three letters to then-Chinese leader Hu Jintao and then-premier Wen Jiabao, telling them of the injustice suffered under the regime by Falun Gong practitioners and tortures they had suffered. In November 2005, Gao and Geng announced that they had quit the CCP. In August 2006, Gaos license to practice law was revoked and he was detained for four months. In 2007, he was detained for over 50 days. In February 2009, he disappeared. In April 2010, Gao appeared in an interview with The Associated Press at his house in Beijing. After that, he was detained again for about 20 months. In December 2011, the regime announced that Gao had been sentenced to jail for three years. In 2014, the regime released Gao but had him under house arrest until he disappeared again in 2017. Gao Zhisheng at his office in Beijing in November 2005. (Verna Yu/AFP/Getty Images) Because of the torture, Gao had most of his teeth knocked loose in 2014, according to Geng. Gao was also subject to horrendous tortures like having toothpicks stabbed into his genitals. Henkell Freixenet has added three more still wines to its Freixenet brand, including a Rioja. The wines, which also feature a Sauvignon Blanc and a Rose, roll out in the UK from this month. Freixenet is predominantly a Cava producer but last year introduced the first still wines to its portfolio. The new varietals all hail from Spain, whereas last years launches comprised a three-strong Italian range. Each 75cl bottle carries an SRP of GBP9 (US$12.40). Freixenet brand manager Samantha Cross said: Following the success of our move into still wines, we believe that this new collection, with its stylish bottle design, will be equally desirable to our loyal customer base, as well as drawing in new consumers to both the brand and category. In 2019, Henkell Freixenet changed its name from Henkell & Co after the German company purchased majority control of Freixenet. Henkell claims to be the largest sparkling wine producer, with propositions in the sekt, Cava, Prosecco, Champagne and Cremant sectors. The company is owned by German conglomerate Dr Oetker. How COVID has closed the digital gap between young and old consumer trends Citibank Korea headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of Citibank Korea Financial authorities vigilant at US financial giant's announcement By Park Jae-hyuk Citigroup officially announced its exit from consumer banking operations here, casting attention on OK, DGB and KB financial groups that have been mentioned as potential buyers of Citibank Korea's retail banking outlets. OK runs the nation's second-largest mutual savings bank, while DGB is a Daegu-based financial group that owns Daegu Bank. The U.S. financial giant made the announcement after releasing first-quarter earnings figures, saying it was refocusing its global consumer bank presence in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa on four global wealth centers, and exiting from consumer banking operations in Korea and 12 other markets. The announcement had been anticipated ever since foreign news outlets reported in February that Citigroup was considering divesting certain retail banking units in the Asia-Pacific region, including those in Korea. Citibank Korea has yet to disclose a specific timeline for the restructuring, but a source familiar with the issue said the retail banking operation will be put up for sale. Once another financial firm acquires the business, the buyer can start managing the assets of Citibank customers, as Hana Bank did after taking over Korea Exchange Bank in 2012. OK, DGB and KB each have their reasons to consider participating in the acquisition deal, although all of them have remained cautious about making comments. From left are OK Financial Group Chairman Choi Yoon, DGB Financial Group Chairman Kim Tae-oh and KB Financial Group Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo. Courtesy of each company MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Senate has backed legislation to make it a crime for local police officers to enforce any new federal gun restrictions. Senators on Thursday voted 21-5 for the bill by Republican Sen. Gerald Allen of Tuscaloosa. It now moves to the Alabama House of Representatives. The bill would make it a misdemeanor for an officer to enforce a new federal law or executive order that regulates firearms, ammunition, or firearm accessories. Opponents of the bill argued that the U.S. Constitution already protects gun rights and that Republican lawmakers are going to get the state embroiled in a costly lawsuit that they will ultimately lose. (Newser) Police in North Carolina have urged LGBTQ sex workers to be "hyper cautious" after two disturbingly similar murders in the space of 11 days. Police say the victims shot to death in Charlotte hotel rooms on April 4 and April 15 were both transgender women and sex workers, the Charlotte Observer reports. Police say the killer or killers may be targeting trans women. "Naturally the assumption would be these got to be connected right?" Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spokesman Rob Tufano said Thursday, per WCNC. "We dont know at this point, but they are consistent enough with circumstances and similarities and its gotten our attention." story continues below The April 4 victim was identified as 29-year-old Jaida Peterson. Police say the second victim, a 28-year-old woman, was found at a different hotel Thursday. Tufano said that until arrests are made, "there has probably never been a more vulnerable time" for transgender sex workers in the area. At a vigil for Peterson last week, Black trans women described her as an honorary sister. "People just find it easier to kill us because socially, were at the bottom of the totem pole," Brianna Battle told the Charlotte Observer. "No matter what her gender was, a human life was taken away. She has a family and friends and people who love her." Advocates say many Black and Latino trans women end up as sex workers because discrimination leaves them with few other options. (Read more North Carolina stories.) New Delhi, April 16 : The Supreme Court on Friday issued a slew of directions for speedy disposal of cheque bounce cases, which have choked the justice delivery system. The top court also recommended the Centre to amend the law to allow one trial in multiple cheques, if transactions involved are the same. A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao, B.R. Gavai, A.S. Bopanna and S.Ravindra Bhat, asked the Centre to make "suitable amendments" in the Negotiable Instruments Act. The top court recommended that trials in cheque bounce cases lodged in 12 months against a person could be clubbed into one case. The top court directed all the High Courts to issue guidelines for trial courts for speedy disposal of cheque bounce cases. The bench said the evidence in cheque bounce cases can now be tendered by filing affidavits, and there would not be any requirement to physically examine the witnesses. The bench noted a committee headed by Justice R.C. Chavan, former Bombay High Court judge, will consider the issues not dealt by the court. The top court said the trial courts have no "inherent power" to review or recall the issue of summons in the cheque bounce cases. The top court directed the High Courts to issue directions to magistrates regarding conversion of summary trial to summons trial. The top court on March 10, had constituted the committee to submit a report on steps required for speedy disposal of cheque bounce cases. This committee has been tasked to submit the report within three months. The top court had noted that cheque bounce cases constitute almost 30 per cent of total pendency of case at trial courts and High Courts. The bench added this pendency is causing a logjam at all levels, particularly at trial court and High Court level. "The Union of India has responded positively to the suggestion of this court for establishment of additional courts for better administration of cases under NI Act ... the Solicitor General in principle accepted the need for establishment of such courts, after the modalities are worked out", said the bench. The top court in March, last year, had registered a suo motu case to develop a mechanism for expeditious disposal of such cases. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Assassin's Creed Valhalla Future Patches Will Be Less Frequent But 'More Robust' BEIJING, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GSX Techedu Inc. (NYSE: GSX) ("GSX" or the "Company"), a leading online K-12 large-class after-school tutoring service provider in China, today announced that it will host a virtual Investor Day on April 22, 2021 in China. A virtual tour of GSX's Beijing offices will begin at 9:00 AM Beijing time (9:00PM on April 21, 2021 U.S. Eastern Time) followed by management presentations that will begin at 3:00 PM Beijing time (3:00AM on April 22, 2021 U.S. Eastern Time). Mr. Larry Xiangdong Chen, the Company's founder, Chairman and CEO, Mr. Xiuping Qi, the Company's Vice President, Mr. Wei Liu, the Company's Vice President and Mr. Song Jiang, the Company's Head of Technology will all be speaking at the event. A live webcast of the presentations and a detailed schedule will be available on the Investor Relations website of the Company at http://gsx.investorroom.com/ prior to the Investor Day. A replay of the webcast will be available through the same link following the event. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates, " "future, " "intends, " "plans, " "believes, " "estimates" and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's ability to continue to attract students to enroll in its courses; the Company's ability to continue to recruit, train and retain qualified teachers; the Company's ability to improve the content of its existing course offerings and to develop new courses; the Company's ability to maintain and enhance its brand; the Company's ability to maintain and continue to improve its teaching results; and the Company's ability to compete effectively against its competitors. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's reports filed with, or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and GSX undertakes no duty to update such information or any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. About GSX Techedu Inc. GSX is a technology-driven education company and leading online K-12 large-class after-school tutoring service provider in China. GSX offers K-12 courses covering all primary and secondary grades through the brand Gaotuketang as well as foreign language, professional and interest courses through the brand Genshuixue. GSX adopts an online live large-class format to deliver its courses, which the Company believes is the most effective and scalable model to disseminate scarce high-quality teaching resources to aspiring students in China. Big data analytics permeates each aspect of the Company's business and facilitates the application of the latest technology to improve teaching delivery, student learning experience, and operational efficiency. For further information, please contact: GSX Techedu Inc. Ms. Sandy Qin, CFA Investor Relations Director E-mail: [email protected] Christensen In China Ms. Vivian Wang Phone: +852 2232 3978 E-mail: [email protected] In US Ms. Linda Bergkamp Phone: +1-480-614-3004 Email: [email protected] SOURCE GSX Techedu Inc. Related Links www.genshuixue.com Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa tested positive for novel coronavirus on Friday. He was shifted to Manipal hospital from Ramaiah Memorial hospital where he was admitted earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister's Office informed. This is the second time that he has been tested COVID-19 positive. The Karnataka CM also tested positive for the virus in August 2020. "Upon having mild fever, today I got tested for Covid-19 and my report has come out positive. Although I am doing fine, I am being hospitalised based on the advice of doctors. I request all those who have come in my contact recently to be observant and exercise self-quarantine," Yediyurappa later tweeted. Upon having mild fever, today I got tested for Covid-19 and my report has come out positive. Although I am doing fine, I am being hospitalised based on the advise of doctors. I request all those who have come in my contact recently to be observant and exercise self-quarantine. a B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) April 16, 2021 He complained of fever on Friday, after which he was taken to Ramaiah Hospital. Yediyurappa was then admitted to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru for treatment. The Karnataka CM had already received the first dose of coronavirus vaccine and was scheduled to receive the second jab in the next three-four days. Also read: Karnataka CM warns of lockdown as Covid-19 cases rise "As the Chief Minister was suffering from fever, he had gone to Ramaiah hospital for general checkup, where COVID test was conducted and as the report has come positive, he will be shifted to the Manipal Hospital," the CMO said in a statement. Yediyurappa was last year admitted to the same Manipal Hospital for nine days and was discharged on recovery. The chief minister had cut short his campaign programme for by-polls in Belagavi on Thursday due to high fever and exhaustion, official sources said. Earlier on Friday, he also chaired an emergency meeting with Health Minister K Sudhakar and top officials for about one-and-half hours regarding the COVID situation in the state and had addressed the media. Travel firms and tourism experts have suggested making COVID-19 insurance compulsory for all inbound and outbound travellers as one of the key requirements to welcome foreigners back to Vietnam. Tourists row boats at Tien Dinh agro-ecological tourist area at Phu Thuan A Commune in Dong Thap Provinces Hong Ngu District. In a letter sent to then Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc proposing the Government to open the market in a safe and sustainable manner, the Tourism Advisory Council (TAB) stated there should be a roadmap. Accordingly, it is necessary to have policies requiring COVID-19 'vaccine passports' and testing tourists before flights and after arrival at tourist sites. Travel insurance, including medical insurance related to COVID-19, should be compulsory for all foreigners coming to Vietnam and Vietnamese tourists travelling abroad. Vo Anh Tai, vice chairman of TAB and deputy director general of Saigontourist Group, said COVID-19-related insurance would ensure benefits and safety for both travellers, travel firms and local authorities in case of tour delays or cancellations. The TAB suggested the Government and the Ministry of Finance to allow insurance companies in Vietnam to sell COVID-19 travel insurance products. Medical insurance programmes related to COVID-19 have been offered in some countries. It helps cover expenses on hospitalisation, examinations, treatment and medical care, and medical evacuation and repatriation, Tai told Nguoi lao ong (The Labourer) newspaper. He also said travel insurance can offset the cost if the trip is affected by the pandemic. Hoang Nhan Chinh, Secretary General of TAB, said that the Law on Tourism required travel companies to buy insurance for tourists during the tours unless they already had insurance for the entire travel period. This insurance is paid to visitors when there are emergencies including illness and accident. However, he said, the tourism industry still did not have COVID-19 insurance, especially in the context of Vietnam considering opening the market to foreign visitors. "COVID-19 related insurance will prove effective for visitors when they travel to a tourist destination that requires testing as they can pay first, then request the insurance agency to reimburse the cost, he said. In case the visitor was quarantined when travelling to a certain area due to an outbreak, the expense during the quarantine period was also covered by insurance, Chinh added. Tourism is a key economic sector in Vietnam, contributing more than 10 per cent of the countrys GDP and generated over US$30 billion in annual revenue. Results of a recent survey of Vietnamese tourists conducted by TAB about the willingness of tourists to purchase additional travel insurance packages during the high-risk disease period showed that 52 per cent of respondents answered 'Yes'. This reflected that they have a demand to purchase a COVID-19 insurance package. Many businesses also believe that COVID-19-related insurance products are necessary as the tourism industry is implementing a roadmap to reopen to international visitors. In fact, a few travel companies have been working with the insurance company to extend their terms of support to visitors in case of an unfortunate infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus while on tour and within 14 days after the tour ends. The Vietnam Travel and Marketing Transport Joint-stock Company (Vietravel) is an example. There is a provision on COVID-19 in the travel insurance policy for the company's customers to enhance the interests of customers, said Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietravel. She said that the most important thing right now was the policy that allowed travel companies to coordinate with insurance companies to deploy COVID-19 insurance products as in other countries. "A 'vaccine passport', a certificate showing a person is negative for COVID-19 at the time of departure and COVID-19-related insurance are prerequisites for welcoming back foreign visitors and rapidly reviving the tourism industry," Hoang said. At the Government's regular press conference held in late March, former Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung said that some key tasks are to speed up research, development and testing of vaccines, as well as developing a plan to import vaccines for large-scale vaccination. Early research and rolling out of a 'vaccine passport' mechanism to promote trade and investment should be a priority. At the latest meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health submitted initial proposals on the implementation of the 'vaccine passport', including the applicable target group, plan for monitoring, isolating, and medical monitoring. According to experts, with mass vaccination programmes taking place in many countries, a number of countries have developed plans to open their markets to facilitate the travel of entrepreneurs, experts and tourists. The Vietnamese Government and competent agencies should consider opening the market in a safe and sustainable manner in order not to lag behind. Besides the COVID-19 vaccination programmes, many tourist businesses also proposed a more open visa policy to gain a competitive advantage in the region. For example, the proposed 30-day visa exemption policy should continue to be applied to existing countries that are exempt. Australia, New Zealand and remaining countries in Europe should also be included. VNS Inbound, outbound travelers may need compulsory Covid-19 insurance Travel firms have suggested making Covid-19 insurance compulsory for all inbound and outbound travelers as one of the solutions Vietnam needs to apply after it receives foreign travelers again. 1. Roads. The citys roads are a mess. Significant resources are needed to fix them. 2. Public safety. The crime rate is too high. Police pay and resources come first. 3. More city programs. The city must invest more in city programs and services. 4. Comprehensive plan. The city needs to focus on rebuilding and rebranding. 5. Cut city spending. City officials must get serious about trimming the budget. Vote View Results An Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Mohammed Lamin Abdul-Hamid, has asked Muslims to use the month-long Ramadan fast which commenced across the globe on Tuesday , as a golden opportunity to grow physically, morally, spiritually and emotionally. He reminded Muslims to use the opportunity to seek the overwhelming blessings of Allah to renew their resolve to contribute to national development efforts. We pray that Almighty Allah would give Muslims the strength and the capability to be able to take full advantage of this blessed month, he added. Delivering a sermon, Sheikh Abdul-Hamid, who is the Imam of the Bilal Bun Rabah Mosque at New Fadama, a suburb of Accra, urged Muslims to use the opportunity to touch the lives of needy and the poor in society by sharing and caring. Brothers and sisters, Ramadan is a month of unique features and overwhelming blessings and forgiveness. It brings hope, love and consolation to the Muslim Ummah. Ramadan is a month of patience, self-restraint and righteousness. The Prophet (pbuh) said: if anyone insults you or wants to fight you (in this month), say I am fasting I am fasting (Bukhari and Muslim). Almighty God has made it obligatory (Fard) for every Muslim to fast because He doesnt want us to miss the rewards. Guess what, nothing is compared to fasting after the five daily prayers. That is why God chose a full month of 29 or 30 days and made it compulsory for Muslims to fast. Almighty Allah says. Brothers and sisters, another very important area we need to avail ourselves of in this glorious month is feeding the poor, the orphans, widows, and the most vulnerable families in our communities. A lot of people out there do not have what to feed on during Iftar and Sahur. It is just fair that we have to extend our kind generosity to them. Remember, our worth in the community is not measured by the big mansions, high titles or posh cars we own, but rather it is measures by our ability to touch other peoples lives and make them smile. The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said: He is not a believer, who eats his fill whilst his neighbour on his side goes hungry (Bukhari) think about it! Sheikh Hamid recalled that last year by this time, there was countrywide lockdown, all public places for gathering such as; educational institutions, firms, churches, schools, mosques, restaurants, beaches, boarders, airports were under severe lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding Our rights to liberty, freedom of assembly and freedom of movement as well as freedom of worship in the mosques were curtailed. Worse still, the communal spirit, euphoria and the excitement that are usually associated with Ramadan were seriously affected last year due to the lockdown restrictions, yet by the grace of Allah, we were able to sail through successfully. We had to observe the Ramadan fasting, Tarawih prayers and the Eid celebrations indoors with our families. It was the greatest misfortunes ever that had claimed the lives of millions of people within this short time. He said this year, the story was completely different, adding we welcome Ramadan with a renewed energy and ecstasy. Although some of the COVID- 19 restrictions are still in place to check the spread of the disease, the ban on praying in the mosques has been relaxed and the situation is gradually getting to normalcy. Sheikh Abdul-Hamid urged Muslims not to lower their guard on the COVID-19 protocols but to continue to observe them to stop the spread of the disease in the communities. Source: The Ghanaian Times Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Restaurants with outdoor seating reopened this week as lockdown restrictions eased. And Ferne McCann looked effortlessly chic on Thursday in an oversized grey blazer as she headed into London for a date night with her boyfriend Jack Padgett. The former TOWIE star, 30, looked radiant as she held hands with her beau and entered the Elysee restaurant in Fitzrovia. Love is in the air: Ferne McCann looked effortlessly chic on Thursday in an oversized grey blazer as she headed into London for a date night with her boyfriend Jack Padgett She completed her look with a black tee, slim fitting jeans and white knee-high boots. Ferne draped a mini tote bag over her arm as she was seen clutching a patterned silk scarf. The mother-of-one enhanced her flawless complexion with soft make-up and tucked her chestnut tresses back in an elegant updo, framing her visage with a parted fringe. She accesorised tastefully with simple gold jewellery while her boyfriend looked relaxed yet stylish in a navy shirt and black trousers. Glowing: The former TOWIE star, 30, looked radiant as she held hands with her beau and entered the Elysee restaurant in Fitzrovia Fashion foot forward: She completed her look with a black tee, slim fitting jeans and white knee-high boots Jack clutched their jumpers as they strolled down the road in London. As they exited the swanky eatery, the First Time Mum star untied her luscious locks and wrapped her teal hoodie around her waist. Last month, Ferne gushed over romance with her boyfriend Jack. The former TOWIE star revealed she cannot stop saying 'I love you' to the male model and has had to rein in her professions of love to her pals. Arm candy: Ferne draped a mini tote bag over her arm as she was seen clutching a patterned silk scarf Wow: The mother-of-one enhanced her flawless complexion with soft make-up and tucked her chestnut tresses back in an elegant updo, framing her visage with a parted fringe Speaking to The Sun, she admitted that Jack has 'changed her life, saying: 'I feel like he really is the one. I'm in that love bubble and I don't think that's going to change. He's honestly changed my life and that's it now. I'm so grateful.' Ferne, who is mother to daughter Sunday, three, went public with the model in late December after first meeting five years ago, and she admitted moving in together so quickly has 'fast-forwarded' her romance with her 'calm and kind' beau. Speaking in a recent interview with MailOnline, the mother-of-one explained while she initially found the prospect of letting a new man into her life 'daunting', she is confident she has found the 'right person' in longtime friend Jack. Couple goals: She accesorised tastefully with simple gold jewellery while her boyfriend looked relaxed yet stylish in a navy shirt and black trousers Heading home: As they exited the swanky eatery, the First Time Mum star untied her luscious locks and wrapped her teal hoodie around her waist She has now said: 'It's a really healthy honest relationship. It's an adult relationship and I'm very happy. He's nice, calm and balanced, and fun. I love him. I did actually say "I love you" first. I knew he loved me but he wasn't going to be the one to say it.' While she shares Sunday with her incarcerated ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins, who is serving over 20 years in jail for an acid attack, babies are not on the cards yet. She went on: 'It's too soon for all that, and I don't want to scare him off - but I have discussed baby names with him. But we're not planning for a baby yet. I just want to enjoy life with him first for a few more years to have fun with him.' Smitten: Last month, the former TOWIE star revealed she cannot stop saying 'I love you' to the male model and has had to rein in her professions of love to her pals Le gouvernement a decide de preparer ce projet de loi qui va augmenter la competitivite du service financier mauricien er de diversifier le Mauritius International Financial Centre en ligne avec les recommandations du plan de 10 ans. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Financial Services and Good Governance conveying drafting instructions to the Attorney Generals Office for the preparation of the Variable Capital Companies Bill. With a view to further enhancing the competitiveness of the Financial Services Sector and diversifying the product base of the Mauritius International Financial Centre, a set of measures was announced in the Budget Speech 20202021 in line with the recommendations of the 10-Year Blueprint for the Sector which, inter alia, comprises the introduction of a new sphere of activity to be carried out by Variable Capital Companies in Mauritius. Funeral home operators staged a protest in Rome on Friday over a desperate situation they say has left almost two thousand coffins in the Italian capital waiting weeks or even months to be cremated Rome, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Apr, 2021 ) :Funeral home operators staged a protest in Rome on Friday over a desperate situation they say has left almost two thousand coffins in the Italian capital waiting weeks or even months to be cremated. While coronavirus has not helped the situation, the increase in deaths and limited access to public services brought on by the pandemic has only exposed a long-standing problem caused by Italy's old nemesis -- bureaucracy. "We appeal to the mayor of Rome to end the current procedures needed to authorise a cremation," Giovanni Caccioli, national secretary of the Italian Federation of Funeral Homes, told AFP at the protest. Standing alongside their hearses, the funeral workers laid wreaths around the Roman Temple of Hercules Victor, near Mayor Virginia Raggi's office, with notices reading: "Sorry, they will not let us bury your loved ones." According to Caccioli, Rome registers around 15-18,000 requests for cremations every year, for which families must go through a "tortuous" bureaucratic journey involving the local cemetery, the municipal agency Ama and the registrar office. "It's been three months that I've been waiting for my husband's cremation, and still nothing has been done," said Lorella Pesaresi, whose husband died in January after testing positive for coronavirus while undergoing chemotherapy. "It's not fair -- coronavirus and now this," she told AFP. Caccioli said the paperwork to obtain a cremation permit was still done by hand, and the process took on average 35 to 40 days in Rome, "an absurd situation". He noted other cities did it in one or two days, adding: "We can't go on like this." Maurizio Tersini, who runs Le Sphink funeral home, says around 1,800 coffins are currently waiting to be incinerated in Rome. "The main problem is a bureaucratic one," the 59-year-old told AFP, adding: "It is a great suffering for the families."glr-ar/aa/mjs This $20 a month donation gives you full online access to all four of our local papers - Sonoma West, The Healdsburg Tribune, Windsor Times and Cloverdale Reveille - and will help the paper survive. This renews automatically, and we will charge your card monthly until you tell us to stop. Thanks for going above and beyond! On Thursday Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton confirmed key elements of his still unreleased flash reports, concerning the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Bolton confirmed in his testimony that Capitol Police leadership refused to deploy commonly used crowd control munitions even as the Capitol was being overrun by violent Trump supporters and fascist militia groups. Bolton stated to House Administration Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren that heavier, less lethal devices, such as 40mm grenade launchers and sting ball grenades, were not used on the orders of an assistant deputy chief of police, whom Bolton refused to identify. No one on the committee pressed Bolton to name the officer. In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo rioters try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) He stated that the reason given by the assistant deputy chief of police for forbidding the use of such devices, which are routinely deployed against peaceful demonstrators protesting unending police murder, was out of concern that they could potentially cause life-altering injury and/or death, if they were misused in any way. The same thing could be said about literally every single piece of police equipment that every officer carries, from pepper spray, to a taser, a baton or a radio. Police routinely, and without consequence, misuse tasers and foam and bean bag rounds by aiming them at protesters heads and faces causing permanent brain damage and loss of eyesight. That no one on the committee further pressed Bolton as to why this order was given and by whom testified to the general character of the hearing. Despite some damning testimony, the hearing was hamstrung by the fact that in the interests of bipartisanship and furthering their shared class agenda of imperialism war abroad and ruthless exploitation at home, neither party wants to truly reveal the depth of insider state involvement in the attempted coup. In describing the effectiveness of such devices, Bolton admitted that while [I]t would be very difficult to say absolutely it would have turned the tide, but ... it certainly would have helped us that day to enhance our ability to protect the Capitol. He added that when D.C. Metropolitan Police showed up to assist Capitol Police and began deploying sting ball grenades, he personally witnessed individuals were turning around and leaving, noting that sting balls are very painful and that they would have helped us. In that respect, Boltons testimony mirrored that of former D.C. National Guard Commander William Walker, who testified in March that had the Pentagon leadership approved his request to deploy about 155 soldiers to the Capitol, they could have secured the perimeter and made a difference. In both instances, high ranking leadership prevented on-the-ground police and military forces from aiding besieged lawmakers. Further demonstrating that a general demobilizing of the police force in preparation for the coup was ordered by police leadership, Bolton confirmed to New Mexico Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez in a revealing exchange that even though the Capitol Police were in possession of several intelligence reports warning of violence against Congress on January 6, none of the rank-and-file officers were briefed on the potential insurrectionary threats. Based on our interviews, no, the basic line officers, rank and file, were not briefed on the intelligence they had, Bolton told Leger Fernandez. He recommended that more police be given security clearances in order to have access to more sensitive documents. However, this does not explain why frontline police were not briefed prior to their shift to begin with. The lack of communication from police leadership to the frontline even as the attack on the Capitol was under way was highlighted in a recent article by the Washington Post, which reported Thursday on the radio communications of D.C. police commander Robert Glover, who led a team of besieged police in front of the Capitol on January 6. The Post reported that once Glovers team made contact with the crowd at 1:13 p.m., he requested backup at least 17 times in the next 78 minutes. His repeated calls were answered by receiving only a single platoon of Civil Disturbance Unit (CDU) officers. As police lines were being overrun, the Post wrote that between 2:13 and 2:25 p.m., Glover requested guidance on a fallback position four times. I need a command official from Capitol so we can coordinate where they want us to pull back to, Glover said, referring to a commander from the U.S. Capitol Police. We cannot hold this without more munitions or manpower. Glover never received a response to his request for a fallback position on the radio recordings, per the Post. Continuing her line of questioning, Rep. Leger Fernandez described the departments disinterest in repelling the crowd with less-lethal options as concerning. Leger Fernandez asked Bolton if he thought the level of violence on January 6 warranted less lethal force and if so, how many grenadiers were needed? Disputing claims by Trump-supporting lawmakers, such as Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson who said that the crowd assembled outside the Capitol on January 6 was mostly peaceful, Bolton acknowledged, looking at the videos, they are extremely violent. They came prepared and planned to do what they were going to do. He refused to say how many grenadiers should have been deployed to repel the crowd, but stated that three grenadiers is not adequate and that more needed to be trained and properly equipped. During the June 1 demonstrations in D.C. against police violence, peaceful protesters were pummeled with thousands of rubber bullets and bombarded with flashbangs and sting balls. However, on January 6, Bolton confirmed to Lofgren, civilians were placed to assist officers in resupplying gear and equipment because they were so underprepared for the events of the day. Bolton said that there were no pre-planned ammunition and resupply caches inside the Capitol, which forced unarmed civilians to ferry equipment to police while attempting to avoid the crowd. Also, he testified that he was dismayed to discover during his review that a decontamination area, established for police who had been exposed to chemical agents, was cases of water brought to the officers. That is not a decon area, he added. So far, Bolton has provided testimony and two private reports to Congress, detailing the obvious failures of the Capitol Police department during the January 6 attack. What has been revealed in the reports, coupled with the release of the internal Pentagon document last weekend showing the Pentagon refused requests from lawmakers and the Vice President to clear the Capitol, demonstrates the need for the entire Capitol Police and Pentagon leadership to be subpoenaed and questioned as to their roles in carrying out the coup. However, as was made clear multiple times by Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike throughout the hearing, the purpose of the review was not to blame a single entity within the government or politicize the events. This is affirmation from all involved that everything will be done to limit the fallout from the investigation in order to prop up the Republican Party and the state. This is despite the fact that a majority of Republican congressmen and seven senators supported the overturning of the election even after the attack. To expose the role of senators such as Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Tommy Tuberville or Representatives Mo Brooks, Andy Biggs, or Paul Gosar would likewise uncover substantial sections of the police, intelligence and military apparatuses in the plot. In February 1946, George Kennan, then-deputy chief of mission in Moscow, responded to a request from the Treasury Department to detail the Soviet situation. The USSR had recently declined to take its supposed place in the postwar international order by declining to endorse the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, among other things. Kennan's response was as unexpected as it was prescient. In a telegram that exceeded 5,000 words, now justly known as the Long Telegram, Kennan outlined the character of Stalin's regime: its "neurotic view of world affairs," its "instinctive Russian sense of insecurity," its Marxist-Leninist outlook -- "the fig leaf of their moral and intellectual respectability" -- that formed its fear of "capitalist encirclement" and justified the brutality of the five-year plan, and so on. Most importantly, Kennan predicted Soviet efforts to destabilize western nations via the exploitation of preexisting domestic conflicts and thereby erode trust in political institutions and processes. Kennan warned, Efforts will be made in such countries to disrupt national self-confidence, to hamstring measures of national defense, to increase social and industrial unrest, to stimulate all forms of disunity. All persons with grievances, whether economic or racial, will be urged to spelt redress not in mediation and compromise, but in defiant violent struggle for destruction of other elements of society. Here poor will be set against rich, black against white, young against old, newcomers against established residents, etc. This should sound familiar. China is now evidently adopting this playbook described by Kennan. Through well-timed social media blasts and carefully tailored opinion pieces, Beijing is both spreading its Communist message, (artificially) improving its international image, and exacerbating domestic fissures -- especially racial tensions -- in the American sociopolitical landscape. One distinction between Cold War 1.0 and Cold War 2.0 is the advent of the internet and network platforms. Propaganda has only gotten easier, faster, and cheaper. On this, China has been upping the ante over the past few years. Lenin, Stalin, and all the rest could have only dreamed of the digital surveillance state now managed by Beijing; nor could they have imagined the way the internet (and social media) would expedite and democratize not only communication but propaganda and disinformation too. Given the immediacy of social media, adversarial governments like China are equipped to pour gas on any cultural and political fires, fanning the flame of the imbedded antagonism that Kennan described, and diminish confidence in America's ability to moderate the same. Back in November of 2019, Jake Novak, writing at CNBC, drew attention to this tactic from the Chinese. It was then, as it is now, clear that, to distract from their own human rights abuses, Beijing was mounting a concerted effort to paint America as irredeemably racist -- something homegrown propaganda like the 1619 Project has paved the way for free of charge. The first signs of the campaign were exhibited by Lijian Zhao's Twitter feed. Zhao is the deputy director general of the information department at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a short thread, Zhao feigned concern for "the living condition of African-Americans," calling them "worrisome," and invoking unattributed statistics regarding the racial wealth-gap. The thread was retweeted over one thousand times and "liked" even more. Zhao's comments were clearly meant to be a cheap shot at Donald Trump, who had just declared support for the Hong Kong protests, but also coincided with an explosive expose by the New York Times on the mass detention of Muslim Uyghurs in the northwest of the country. Trump's State Department later officially declared it genocide -- a designation that the Biden administration has not officially endorsed. More egregious still, when Biden was confronted about the crisis earlier this year, he chalked it up to "different norms." Walter Duranty could not have conjured up better spin. Of course, China has consistently denied the existence of detention camps, dubbed any reporting on the Uyghur crisis disinformation, and reassured western ears that Chinese-Muslim women are now being "emancipated." But Zhao's thread killed two birds with one stone. It was expertly posted to stoke tensions surrounding the Jussie Smollett case then still heating up. The Smollett incident in particular divided politicians and celebrities alike. Zhao knew what he was doing. He was exploiting a wedge issue or, rather, in Novak's words, "hes tapping into a live wire," distracting from real news about real oppression, and landing a jab on the leader of the free world. All in a day's work. The same strategy was executed last summer amidst nationwide, racially charged social unrest in the wake of George Floyd's death. As Javier C. Hernandez discerned, China was reveling in the moment, "seizing on the unrest to tout the strength of its authoritarian system and to portray the turmoil as yet another sign of American hypocrisy and decline." Chinese officials began trolling their American counterparts online with "Black Lives Matter" and "I can't breathe" posts. Even NPR had to agree. The editor of the CCP-funded Global Times called out Mike Pompeo for not standing with Minneapolis as he had with Hong Kong. Eva Xiao has reported for the Wall Street Journal that researchers uncovered roughly 174,000 Twitter accounts that promoted Chinese-backed propaganda, both race and coronavirus related, during the summer of 2020. China did the same thing again in the wake of the Capital Hill riot. This all may seem rather juvenile and ineffectual, but like it or not, social media is the new public square and printing press wrapped into one. Whoever harnesses network platforms possesses real power, as the Cambridge Analytica scandal and a host of other revelations over the past few years has made clear. The platforms that were used to organize demonstrations against Beijing in Hong Kong and Taiwan were employed to dissipate the same. In any case, it did not stop with the tweets. Just last month, China announced an upcoming report on U.S. human rights violations that would, among other things, demonstrate a decline in American democracy, the aggravation of social inequality, political unrest, and the like. U.N. ambassadors from each country traded blows with Dai Bing, China's representative, stating, "If the U.S. truly cared about human rights, they should address the deep-seated problems of racial discrimination, social injustice and police brutality, on their own soil." This all goes well beyond name-calling and U.N. squabbles, however. Beijing is better at fanning the flames than that, namely, by mimicking progressive, woke commentary on current events. As Josh Glancy of the Times of London phrased it, "Now China has found America's woke spot, it is turning the screw." For example, in March of this year, the Global Times ran an op-ed that offered up an intersectional approach to the Atlanta salon parlor shootings. Citing Kimberle Crenshaw, the piece humbly instructed Americans that the violence was a result of both misogyny and anti-Asian racism. Of course, the same state-funded paper has failed to apply such analysis to the situation in Xinjiang. Not everyone heeded Kennan's wisdom at the time. But if the U.S. has any interest in confronting America's greatest foreign rival, then it will focus on both countering Chinese propaganda and promoting domestic stability. This cannot be accomplished by kowtowing to Chinese alternative narratives nor by acquiescing to the demands of the critical social justice movement, which contributes to fanning the flame (literally) in America's major cities. Anything else will play right into the hands of the old Communist playbook. Timon Cline is a graduate of Rutgers Law School and Westminster Theological Seminary. He has written for National Review, American Greatness, and the American Spectator. Image: Library of Congress To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. UPDATE: This story has been updated with the correct number of people the state wants vaccinated by June 30. As of Monday, vaccine eligibility in New Jersey opens up to everyone age 16 and older. Vaccine administrators say they are anticipating high demand and not enough immediate appointments to satisfy those who are eager to be inoculated. They say they expect a repeat of what happened earlier this year as each new group became eligible: a rush to find an open slot, and frustration when there are few to be had. The ease of getting an appointment depends on how many doses are allocated to each site, and that will depend on how many are sent out by the federal government, something that has been increasing, though the numbers change weekly. Demand continues to outweigh supply in the state even as vaccine supply increases and the Department continues to work to ensure equity in access, particularly for hard to reach and vulnerable populations, and ultimately, that everyone who wants a vaccine is able to get one, said Health Department spokeswoman Nancy Kearney. The Department of Health said the state is expecting 252,720 Pfizer doses and 185,900 Moderna doses next week. That compares to 272,000 of Pfizer and 178,000 of Moderna received this week, the state said. The pull back of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine wont make a huge difference in the overall supply. The state was expecting 15,600 doses this week and only 5,200 next week, Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said. More supply would be welcome news to vaccine administrators, who said they are expecting a flood of new people looking for their shots starting Monday. All of our hospital-based sites are at capacity, said Ben Goldstein, a spokesman for Hackensack Meridian Health, which has 26 vaccine sites, including the Bergen County mega-site at the Meadowlands. The mega-site is slightly short of capacity, but we expect that to change next week when eligibility opens up. Were not seeing a tipping point, he added. Were not seeing a glut in supply. RWJ Barnabas Health, which manages the mega-site in Edison, is encouraging people who are already eligible to register now, before the new influx of people on Monday, said spokeswoman Carrie Cristello. She said the mega-sites capacity has increased in recent weeks, and it expects demand to go up on Monday. CVS said it continues to see high demand. Appointments fill quickly due to the limited supply of vaccine we receive and as criteria for eligible populations expands, spokeswoman Tara Burke said. But everyone who wants a vaccine should be able to get a vaccine eventually. There are several different ways to book an appointment. Some facilities require pre-registration and will send you an email or text when its your turn to sign up for an appointment time. With others, you have to go online and check individual sites and hope you get a slot. As of Thursday, 5.7 million doses have been administered in New Jersey, with 2.3 million people fully vaccinated, according to the states COVID dashboard. The states goal is to inoculate 4.7 million adults, or 70% of the adult population, by June 30. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Jim Shulman, a Pittsfield native living in Ohio, is the author of Berkshire Memories: A Baby Boomer Looks Back at Growing Up in Pittsfield. If you have a memory of a Berkshire baby-boom landmark, business or event youd like to share or read about, please write Jim at jesjmskali@aol.com . The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group arrived at Naval Base Guam for a brief stop for provisions and personnel Friday, the Navy's Joint Region Marianas confirmed. The crews of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its escort ships USS Bunker Hill, a guided-missile cruiser, and destroyers USS Russell and USS John Finn, will use the Guam stopover to resupply. Sailors will be limited to the pier on the Navy base to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission, according to Joint Region Marianas. The carrier strike group departed San Diego for a scheduled deployment to the Indo-Pacific on Dec. 23, 2020, and has since operated with Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia and Republic of Korea, and provided presence throughout the U.S. 7th Fleet. The strike group has operated in the Pacific and Indian oceans since departing Guam on Feb. 4 after a four-day port visit. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group joined forces in the South China Sea to conduct Expeditionary Strike Force operations on April 9. Ships and aircraft from both strike groups coordinated operations in international waters and conducted multidomain naval integration exercises in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to Joint Region Marianas. Combining the capabilities of the carrier strike group with those of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group sharpens our tactical skills and demonstrates our continued dedication to the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific, said Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine, in a press release. The combined Navy and Marine Corps team has been a stabilizing force in this region for more than a century and will continue to support all who share in the collective vision of peace, stability, and freedom of the seas. Rioting is now a regular feature of political activism in the United States with catastrophic consequences for many small businesses looted and burned in the name some cause or another. In far too many jurisdictions, incredible leniency has been offered to left-wing rioters, unlike the people involved in the January 6 incursion into the U.S. Capitol. Fortunately, federalism still exists in the United States, and countermeasures to block or at least mitigate the effects of rioting are making their way through at least two state legislatures. In Florida, as NBC reports: The Florida Senate on Thursday passed, largely along party lines, a controversial anti-riot bill that was pushed by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests last summer. The bill would increase criminal penalties for assaulting law enforcement officials while engaging in a "riot" and defacing monuments and other public property during riots. It would also penalize local governments that interfere with law enforcement efforts to contain riots and set up a citizen's appeal process when cities and counties try to reduce police budgets in response to riots. The final vote in the Senate was 23-17, with one Republican voting with Democrats in opposition. The bill passed the GOP-controlled House in late March. With both legislative chambers passing the bill and Governor DeSantis in support, it should soon be law. Florida stores, restaurants, and other small businesses targeted by looters can breathe a little easier. Minnesota's Legislature should take a look at the Florida legislation, even though that state's governor, Tim Walz, is a mush-headed progressive who likely wouldn't sign any such bill. The hundreds of businesses burned out, looted, or otherwise destroyed in last summer's George Floyd riots can take no consolation, nor can those businesses currently being attacked by mobs in Brooklyn Center. Air TV screen grab. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, the plague of demonstrators blocking highways in support of some cause or another, and thereby blocking ambulances, fire trucks, and other emergency vehicles, along with innocent travelers prevented from reaching their destinations in a timely manner, may be diminished if this legislation becomes law. The Hill reports: Oklahoma's Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would provide legal protections to drivers who hit protesters blocking roadways, FOX23 reported. The legislation, House Bill 1674, was passed in a 38-10 vote by the Senate and will now head to Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) for his signature. Oklahoma Democrats argued that the bill will be harmful to peaceful protesters and innocent bystanders, as it could lead to more punishment for them. But the state's Republicans argue that it will protect drivers and their families who are in the middle of an unorganized protest. I am sorry, but blocking roadways is not "peaceful protest." It denies the right of free passage to others in the name of some personal desire for political change. Being surrounded by angry protesters while behind the wheel of a car can be frightening and induce panic. Drivers who are put in that situation by people pushing their own cause do deserve protection against liability, for they are innocent victims. I hope other jurisdictions follow these two states' lead. All too many people regard rioting as a force of nature, a natural consequence when events that anger some people usually favored minorities occur. That attitude most definitely is not applied to the Capitol Hill rioters. Neutral legislation that equally penalizes all rioters, and equally protects those innocents caught in a riot, is the solution. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. By investigating antibody and T cell responses to a single dose of the OxfordAstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, researchers from Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom have found that more than 90% of vaccinated individuals produced an adequate amount of antibodies after receiving only one dose of the vaccine irrespective of their age and gender. Their paper is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server. The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In order to enter the cell, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike glycoprotein of this virus is known to attach to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Due to such pivotal role of the spike glycoprotein, it is of no wonder that it represents the main target for antibody-mediated neutralization. And while most of the vaccines for preventing COVID-19 are two-dose vaccines, some vaccines (such as the Johnson and Johnson adenoviral vector vaccine solution) comprise a single dose. However, we are not sure whether a single dose of OxfordAstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines can also be protective enough; furthermore, many variants of concern with mutations in the spike glycoprotein have emerged, increasing in turn disease transmission and potentially affecting vaccine efficacy. In order to appraise the immunogenicity of a single dose of the OxfordAstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in a real-world setting, a research group (led by Dr. Chandima Jeewandara from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura) assessed antibody and T cell responses in a large cohort of health care workers in Sri Lanka. Appraising antibody and T cell responses The study population consisted of 607 naive and 26 previously infected health care workers 28 to 32 days after a single dose of the vaccine. None of the study participants reported having COVID-19 infection during this one month. Hemagglutination tests for antibodies to the RBD of the wild-type virus, UK variant (B.1.1.7) and South African variant (B.1.351), as well as the surrogate neutralization assay, have all been carried out in 69 naive and 26 previously infected individuals. Finally, specific T cell responses for spike protein (with S1 and S2 pools S1) were measured by the ex vivo enzyme-linked immunospot interferon-gamma assays in 76 study subjects by using freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. An abundance of antibodies This study has shown that 92.9% of previously naive individuals actually seroconverted to a single dose of the vaccine, irrespective of their gender and/or age. In other words, a single dose produced a high amount of ACE2 blocking antibodies (detected in 97.1% of naive vaccine recipients), as well as those aimed towards RBDs of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. More specifically, albeit high levels of antibodies were demonstrated to the RBD specific for the wild type virus, the titers for UK strain (B.1.1.7) and South African strain (B.1.351) were lower in previously naive health care workers. Furthermore, ex vivo T cell responses were found to S1 in 63.9% and S2 in 31.9% of health care workers. The ACE2 blocking titers (as measured by the SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus neutralization test) substantially increased from a median of 54.1 to 97.9% of inhibition in previously infected health care workers. Finally, antibodies to the RBD for the UK and South African variants also rose significantly. Superb immunogenicity of a single dose In short, a single dose of the OxfordAstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was shown to be very immunogenic in previously naive individuals and able to induce antibody levels that exceed those following a mild or asymptomatic natural infection. Our results suggest a single dose of vaccine based on the original sequence may still induce a significant increase in antibodies cross-reactive with the variants of concern perhaps sufficient to ameliorate disease, say the authors of this study. It would be important to find out if these individuals who had a poor serological response to the vaccine would be more susceptible to infection in future in prospective studies, they further caution in this medRxiv paper. As many countries worldwide have a partially immunized population, with only a single vaccine dose administered, studies like these leave us with very important data and may tailor our future vaccination and public health approaches. *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. Fitch Ratings has affirmed Indian retailer Future Retail Ltd's (FRL) issuer default rating (IDR) at 'C' and the rating on the company's $500 million 5.6% senior secured notes due 2025 at 'C' while revising the recovery rating to 'RR5' from 'RR4'. Fitch has also removed FRL from its ratings watch positive (RWP), which was placed on both ratings on 2 September 2020 after FRL's announcement it was selling its business to Reliance Retail and Fashion Lifestyle Ltd (RRFLL), an indirect subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). In a report, Fitch says, "The removal of the RWP underscores the significant delay in completing the sale, contrary to our previous expectations, after a legal challenge to the deal by an entity controlled by Amazon.com Inc, which indirectly holds 4.8% of FRL." "FRL may also face more challenges in securing the required shareholder and creditor approvals for the sale. This is because the founding Biyani family's stake in FRL has been reduced following lenders' invocation of pledges on FRL shares. FRL and other Future Group entities that are part of the sale are negotiating with the lenders under the Indian central bank's August 2020 onetime restructuring (OTR) framework that was introduced to help companies during the coronavirus pandemic," the ratings agency added. As per Fitchs rating scale, a C rating reflects near default or a default or default-like process has begun, or the issuer is in standstill, or for a closed funding vehicle, and its payment capacity is irrevocably impaired. According to Fitch, the sale will be credit positive if completed successfully, although it says "(this) no longer remains the immediate rating driver due to the uncertainty over the timing of its completion and the potential downward rating implications from the debt-restructuring process in the very near term." The revision in the US dollar notes' recovery rating reflects the lowering of Fitch's recovery estimates after including in the waterfall analysis unpaid interest and accrued liabilities on onshore obligations from March 2020, when FRL opted for a debt-servicing moratorium, allowed by the Indian central bank. The ratings agency says FRL's IDR of 'C 'reflects the company's continued financial stress amid the prolonged impact of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly in its higher margin non-food business that faces more restrictions due to its classification as a non-essential category. "The second wave of the virus in India could further delay the recovery in FRL's cash flows during the financial year ending March 2022 (FY22) if the curbs are imposed more widely in the country. Failure to secure lenders' approval for the OTR scheme or a triggering of a change-of-control event on its US dollar bonds will also cause immediate liquidity pressure," it added. Invoking the OTR process in October 2020 enabled FRL's onshore lenders, which account for the majority of its outstanding debt, to treat the loans as current despite payment delays. Fitch says, "Failure to implement the OTR by 26 April 2021 will lead to a conventional default if FRL fails to service the debt subsequently in line with the terms. If the lenders agree on the OTR within the deadline, we will evaluate the final terms to assess if they amount to a distressed debt exchange (DDE). We understand that FRL is in talks with onshore lenders to implement the OTR before the deadline." Fitch had earlier expected the deal to be completed by March 2021. It says, RIL remains keen to pursue the deal, notwithstanding the litigation-related delays, as reflected in its decision to extend the long-stop date for the completion to September 2021 from March 2021. "FRL will cease to exist after the deal is completed, but its credit profile could benefit in the meantime if its access to credit improves after the deal announcement. The bond rating will depend on which RIL entity assumes the debt, including any potential enhancements and a review of the ties with RIL under Fitch's parent and subsidiary linkage rating criteria. Nevertheless, we expect RIL's better credit profile to be reflected in the bonds' rating, if the deal is completed," the ratings agency says. The stake of 'permitted' shareholders according to the bond documentation - mainly the Biyani family and Amazon - fell to 20.5% by 31 March 2021 from 47% at end-2019 after the lenders at FRL's main shareholder, Future Corporate Resources Pvt Ltd (FCRPL), invoked the share pledges. Their stake is below the 26% threshold that could trigger repurchase on the US dollar notes under a change-of-control clause defined in their indenture, if accompanied by a rating downgrade of at least one notch subsequently. "We believe management faces multiple challenges in the current environment, notwithstanding a broadly consistent execution record backed by adequate industry experience. The pandemic had a severe impact on its financial flexibility, leading to the OTR negotiations with lenders. Ongoing litigation and delays around the sale to RIL pose significant impediments to management's strategy to improve financial flexibility in the current environment," the ratings agency added. We dont know much about Adams family, except that he has a mother and other relatives who are grieving for him. We assume that she did the best she could raising him, though by societys standards, it might not have been enough. Still, we have no right to judge. I am not a licensed investment adviser , and I am not providing you with individual investment advice on this site. Please consult with an investment professional before you invest your money. This site is for entertainment and educational use only - any opinion expressed on the site here and elsewhere on the internet is not a form of investment advice provided to you. I use information in my articles I believe to be correct at the time of writing them on my site, which information may or may not be accurate. We are not liable for any losses suffered by any party because of information published on this blog. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Unless your investments are FDIC insured, they may decline in value. By reading this site, you agree that you are solely responsible for making investment decisions in connection with your funds. I've pretty much given up on politicians, as I'm sure many of you have. Very few of them - and I'm mainly thinking of Spain and the UK here, but perhaps you'll think this applies elsewhere, too - inspire trust, loyalty or intellectual enthusiasm. They rarely make decisions or announcements that encourage voters to question the status quo, and most of them seem to be motivated by a love of power and status. This week, however, Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau actually did something surprising and thought-provoking: she took herself off the hate-filled social media platform Twitter. To use the misleadingly jaunty term for posting half-formed thoughts on the site, she will no longer be "Tweeting" to her audience of almost a million followers. In her departure message on Facebook (maybe that'll go next), Colau said that Twitter normalises "violence, insults [and] sexist verbal attacks" and condemned the practice of creating false accounts with the "sole objective of causing harm". "Politics," she went on, "has too much noise, testosterone and easy Tweet proclamations, and needs more empathy, complexity, listening, pedagogy and nuance." Of course I'm going to agree with this: I've never had a Twitter account because I dislike the very idea of it, ditto for Facebook. But Colau's reasons for rejecting it, both as a political platform and as a forum for debate and discussion, will hopefully make even the most devoted "Tweeters" examine the nature and purpose of their online activity. Her criticisms come just ahead of Madrid's regional election on 4 May, in which social media, especially Twitter, will play an instrumental role. That's to say, it will ceaselessly generate fake news and rumours, and enable online "personalities" to circulate accusations and caricatures of their enemy's ideology, flattening details into soundbites and slogans. Put your hands together for Twitter, ladies and gentlemen! Colau's call for understanding and complexity instead of hatred and simplification applies to politics as a whole, whether conducted from a keyboard or in person. It's just as impossible to formulate a coherent argument in 280 characters (40-50 words) as it is to engage with ideas or policies by hurling insults at the opposition, the practice which has unfortunately replaced reasoned debate in Madrid's Congreso. Barcelona's thoughtful mayor rightly wants a higher standard to prevail, and she leads by example. The funeral for HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh will take place at 12am Sunday morning (tonight) AEST. Nine: Nines coverage will begin at 10pm AEST Saturday night, live in all states. It will be preceded by the FTA premiere of the Downton Abbey movie at 7:30pm, a good fit (Adelaide has The Lady in the Van). Funeral coverage from 10pm, Funeral from 11pm and repeated 5am. Join 9News for special coverage of the funeral for HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Joined by a panel of expert guests as well as our European reporters live from Windsor Castle. Seven: Join 7NEWS on Saturday as the world farewells Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with special live coverage of the ceremonial royal funeral to begin from 5.00pm AEST on Channel 7 and 7plus. 7NEWS Europe Bureau Chief Hugh Whitfeld will lead coverage from outside St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle, where the Queen and members of the Royal family will attend to pay their final respects. Hell be joined by acclaimed BBC broadcaster and royal expert, Angela Rippon CBE, and Sunrises royal editor, Rob Jobson. Following 7NEWS at 6.00, special coverage will recommence from 9.30pm AEST (check local guides). Immediately following Weekend Sunrise on Sunday, Prince Philips funeral service will be replayed, commercial free, from 10am on 7TWO. Sydney 5.00pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral 6.00pm 7NEWS at 6.00 7.00pm The Latest: Prince Philip 7.30pm Movie: The Queen 9.30pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral Melbourne 5.00pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral 6.00pm 7NEWS at 6.00 7.00pm AFL: Brisbane v Essendon 10.30pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral Brisbane 5.00pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral 6.00pm 7NEWS at 6.00 7.00pm AFL: Brisbane v Essendon 10.30pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral Adelaide 5.00pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral 6.00pm 7NEWS at 6.00 7.00pm AFL: Carlton v Port Adelaide 9.30pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral Perth 5.30pm Perth Local News 6.00pm 7NEWS at 6.00 7.00pm 7NEWS Perth: Prince Philip Special 8.00pm 7NEWS Special Coverage: Prince Philip Funeral ABC / ABC News 11pm AEST The Funeral of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, held at St Georges Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle with 30 people in attendance due to UK COVID restrictions. 10: Syd / Melb / Bris: 10:20pm A Tribute To HRH The Duke Of Edinburgh 11:40pm The Funeral Of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke Of Edinburgh Adelaide 9:40pm / 11:10pm Perth Funeral 9:40pm, Tribute 11:20pm. Funeral is replayed 8am Sunday local time. Related I create a piece because I want it, I dream it 10 things to know about F.P. Journe watches A collectors guide to the brand created by the impassioned watchmaker who is heir apparent to the industrys pioneers 1 F.P. Journe is a one-off Francois-Paul Journe is known as someone who thinks for himself, says what he thinks, and has not been afraid to follow his own path. Born in Marseille in 1957, he left school at 14 and, at the suggestion of his uncle Michel, studied horology first at the local technical college, then at the Paris watchmaking school, before joining Michels clock restoration workshop on the Rue de Verneuil in 1977. What most interested me was building, in the sense that I wanted to make watches from A to Z, he told the Financial Times in 2010. After eight years with his uncle, he set up on his own, first in Paris, then in Switzerland, working to commission for collectors and luxury brands such as Asprey of London. A young Francois-Paul Journe at his workbench in 1987, Paris. Photo: F. P. Journe 2 He is regarded as the heir apparent to George Daniels One of Journes enduring inspirations has been George Daniels (1926-2011), the legendary British horologist who revolutionised mechanical watchmaking by inventing the coaxial escapement, and has been called the greatest watchmaker of the modern era. When the estate of George Daniels was auctioned in 2011, a beautiful platinum Chronometre Souverain wristwatch that Journe had given him before his death was among the lots. Inscribed FP to George Daniels my Mentor 2010 on the balance, the watch was accompanied by a heartfelt letter in which Journe expressed his gratitude to Daniels for showing others how to make watches of artistic rather than utilitarian merit. It was when he saw a watch by Daniels, he writes, that without knowing it my path in life was determined and I decided in 1997 to make a watch for myself. Thanks to your books such as The Art of Breguet and Watchmaking, I learned patiently on my workbench how to make my first watch. The watch sold for 44,450 almost triple its low estimate and is offered at Christies in Hong Kong on 22 May with an estimate of HK$2,000,000-6,000,000. This timepiece is probably the only watch from the entire FPJ collection that reveals his admiration and gratefulness to his mentor Georges Daniels, says Alexandre Bigler, vice president and head of Watches at Christies Asia Pacific. Its a watch filled with emotions that carries the tribute of a legendary watchmaker for another. F.P. Journe with George Daniels in 2010. Photo: F. P. Journe 3 F.P. Journe watches are rooted in horological history While working with his uncle Michel, Journe became fascinated by the world of 18th- and 19th-century timepieces, and these historical watches and astronomical clocks continue to inspire him today. In 2002, he was thrilled to acquire a resonance regulator created by Breguets contemporary, Antide Janvier, one of the three first-known applications of the phenomenon of resonance, which had inspired Journes own Chronometre a Resonance. 4 F.P. Journe is an innovator By the late 1990s, Journe had had enough of working for other companies. In 1999, he launched his own brand with the Tourbillon Souverain, a watch he had produced in prototype form in 1991. It was an ingenious invention the first tourbillon wristwatch to incorporate a remontoir degalite, a constant-force mechanism originally invented by John Harrison for his H2 marine chronometer. He has continued to innovate ever since, inventing and manufacturing a new mechanism for each new model, as underlined by his company signature, Invenit et Fecit (invented and made). Launched in 2000, his Chronometre a Resonance broke new ground with a system he had been working on stubbornly since 1983, and it remains the only wristwatch to operate on the principle of resonance, according to which two oscillating bodies in close proximity come to synchronise. His Sonneraie Souveraine, also from 2000, was so complicated it was granted 10 patents. Journe makes new timepieces for himself, he told the New York Times in 2016. I create a piece because I want it, I dream it, he said. I make it like it was a new child. 5 F.P. Journe watches are instantly recognisable F.P. Journe watches are not just innovative in concept but idiosyncratic in design. Journes love of mechanics is expressed in the Tourbillon Souverain through apertures in the dial that put the tourbillon and the remontoire the heart of the watch on show. Other trademark F.P. Journe features include large Arabic numerals; blue-steel hands to indicate the hours, minutes, seconds and power reserve; and cases in platinum or 18K rose-gold. Models with unusual dials, such as the rare jade one below, are highly sought-after. 6 F.P. Journe is the only watchmaker to win the Aiguille dOr three times F.P. Journe has been showered with awards, from the Prix Gaia in 1994 to four category awards at the Grand Prix dHorlogerie de Geneve (GPDG). Most significantly, he is the only watchmaker to have won the top GPDG prize the coveted Aiguille dOr three times over. He won it for his Tourbillon Souverain with deadbeat seconds in 2004; for the Sonnerie Souveraine, with grande sonnerie and petite sonnerie, in 2006; and for the Centigraphe Souverain in which the timekeeping mechanism is isolated from that of the chronograph, allowing the chronograph to measure hundredths of a second despite a 3Hz movement in 2008. 7 F.P. Journe is the only watchmaker still based in central Geneva Journe moved to Geneva in 1996 and, unlike many of his peers who have since relocated to the industrial suburbs, he continues to operate from a 19th-century gas-lamp factory in the Plainpalais district. Here, a small team of 120 craftsmen machine and assemble the tiny components for fewer than 900 watches a year. Journe himself remains the chief watchmaker. Everything reinforces the integrity and authenticity of his approach. Francois-Paul Journe in his atelier, a 19th-century former gas-lamp factory in the Plainpalais district of Geneva. Photo: Pascal Mora/The New York Times/IC photo 8 F.P. Journe watches are produced in limited numbers Although 20 per cent of the company was bought by Chanel in 2018, F.P. Journe remains one of Switzerlands smaller brands, launching new and anniversary models through a tight network of 10 company-owned boutiques and retail spaces. Many of the companys watches are also produced in very limited numbers. To fund the launch of his company in 1999, F.P. Journe offered 20 of his Tourbillon Souverain at a 50 per cent discount and these Souscription Tourbillons, as they are known, and subsequent Souscription Chronometres a Resonance, are highly collectable. Ruthenium editions of the Tourbillon Souverain and Chronometre a Resonance 99 pieces of each, with ruthenium-coated dials and ruthenium movements, produced between 2001 and 2003 are also in great demand. In 2020, a ruthenium Chronometre a Resonance sold for CHF212,500 at Christies in Geneva. Another coveted model is the Chronometre Bleu Byblos, launched to commemorate the opening of F.P. Journes 10th boutique, in Lebanon, which was also produced in a run of 99 pieces. 9 F.P. Journe makes watches for collectors F.P. Journes business relies on word of mouth among collectors. Indeed, some of the companys watches the 12 pieces per boutique and two pieces per model per year in the Black Label Collection are only available to those who already own an F.P. Journe timepiece. Other models are just for the lucky few: in 2013, the 10th anniversary of the Tokyo boutique was celebrated with a run of just 10 T10 Tourbillons in platinum cases with the 10 owners drawn from a pool of the companys 99 top clients. In 2016, the company launched its Patrimoine Service, which purchases, authenticates and restores out-of-production F.P. Journe watches for resale with new boxes, certificates of authenticity and three-year warranties. F.P. Journe, 10 Years Anniversary Tourbillon. Photo: F. P. Journe 10 The secondary market for F.P Journe watches is gathering momentum Prices for early, rare and unique F.P. Journe watches have been rising steadily over the past 10 years, and in 2019 they really took off, with a Chronometre a Resonance from the turn of the millennium selling for HK$2 million at Christies in Hong Kong. The watches also perform well at charity auctions. In 2015, a unique Tourbillon Souverain Bleu sold for CHF550,000 at Only Watch, the biennial auction of one-off luxury timepieces for the benefit of the Monaco Association against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy; while another Tourbillon Souverain raised CHF650,000 for Action Innocence, a Swiss charity protecting children on the internet. Sign up today Christies Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe Xi'an, the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi province, has laid out plans to step up efforts on both basic research and applied technologies in the next five years and further build its strength in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, life sciences, and space technologies. The ambition, stipulated in the province's 14th Five-Year Plan, has driven home the importance of strengthening local enterprises' principal position in sci-tech innovation, fostering integration amongst industrial chains, and pooling the wisdom of research and development (R&D) personnel, especially those from abroad. A sci-tech hub in NW China Back in 2017, Xi'an put forward the initiative of reinventing itself into a national center of "key and core" generic technologies. Several high-tech enterprises and startups have thrived in the city since, working to build Xi'an's capacity in the fields of optoelectronics, smart healthcare, aviation and aerospace, as well as high-precision manufacturing. One example is WaferChina, a Xi'an-based epi-house fab specialized in producing high-quality III-V compound semiconductor epi-wafers. Although only established approximately three years ago, the startup has already grown to be one of the leading players in China's semiconductor wafer industry. The company's CEO, Gong Ping, spoke highly of the support and resources provided by the local government. As a senior engineer who used to work at IQE plc, the world-leading manufacturer of advanced semiconductor wafer products, Gong noted that China's institutional advantages are significant in helping to reduce the talent gap that exists in cutting-edge industries. To redouble efforts in training professional personnel, the Chinese government at all levels has been working to establish an innovative mechanism that integrates the R&D of enterprises, universities, and research institutes. Meanwhile, enterprises are also supported to head major sci-tech programs. Given such support, Xi'an has built itself into a major high-tech business incubator in northwest China. In 2019 alone, 1,053 additional national-level high-tech enterprises settled in Xi'an, bringing the total number of such enterprises in the city to 3,673, representing a 40.2% increase year on year. Benefitting from the city's policy advantages and abundant resources, many high-tech startups in Xi'an have vowed to achieve leap-forward development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. For instance, OLED company Lighte Optoelectronics Material plans to introduce relevant supporting businesses in northwest China and build a complete industrial chain to help its products achieve full coverage of the market. Additionally, Inquire Life Diagnostics, a local genetic testing service provider, looks to become the country's leading force in infectious disease testing. A proactive policy on attracting talents To help fully leverage Xi'an's strength as a pivot of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the city's government has increased R&D investment and rolled out a series of favorable policies to pool foreign wisdom. Over the years, spending on R&D of Shaanxi province, especially Xi'an, has consistently ranked top in central and western China. According to statistics from 2019, Shaanxi's total R&D investment came 13th in the country, while its R&D spending reaching 2.27% of its GDP, ranking seventh in China. Xi'an city, meanwhile, ranked the seventh among all Chinese cities in terms of total R&D investment in 2019, while its R&D spending amounted to 5.17% of its GDP, coming only second to Beijing. Xi'an's 2021 government work report demonstrates even greater ambitions, stipulating that its spending on R&D shall rank the first in China with consistent input of 5% and above of the city's GDP. In addition, the city's governing bodies have adopted a set of proactive, open, and effective policies to attract foreign experts and R&D personnel and provide all-around supporting services for them. Specifically, institutional improvement shall take place relating to talent sourcing, training, and the evaluation of foreign experts, as well as talent flow and some incentive programs. Government bodies and enterprises are also working to make the daily life of high-level talents more convenient. This includes providing help with housing, schooling of their children, employment of spouses, financial services, and healthcare. Such convenience has so far been widely appreciated among foreign expatriates, many of which have stated that Xi'an is the most welcoming Chinese city for immigrants. "When I need anything for my daily life, I find myself surrounded by advanced technologies such as WeChat, fast delivery, and the high-speed railway, and this is just brilliant," said a British machinist with Xi'an Superconducting Magnet Technology. A new pacesetter for opening-up Since March 2017, when the State Council issued a circular to establish a pilot free trade zone (FTZ) in the inland province of Shaanxi, Xi'an has gained new momentum for opening-up, in addition to the momentum already brought by the BRI. By drawing on advanced experience from the rest of the world to facilitate investment and improve its business environment, Xi'an is making steady progress in building a high-standard FTZ. For example, global trade in the pilot FTZ has been further facilitated by the building of platforms for cross-border e-commerce and business related to RMB settlement. The city has also promoted facilitation in its finance service sector by simplifying bank procedures and inputting companies' taxation information into a big data platform. In addition, Xi'an has also helped the national project for further opening-up, participating in the construction of the New Eurasian Land Bridge, the China-Central and Western Asia Economic Corridor, and the new land-sea transit routes for the western region. Domestically, it has cooperated with cities and ports in China's eastern coastal region, in a bid to build a Eurasian corridor for land-sea trade. The city has also spared no effort in mitigating the impact of COVID-19, ensuring the smooth operation and delivery of supplies via the China-Europe freight train. In the next five years, Xi'an will continue to aim high as it seeks to become a corridor for central, southern, and western Asian countries, as well as a hub for trade and logistics and a base for key industries and people-to-people exchange. The night sky dances with auroras over Dark Sector Laboratory at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station at the geographic South Pole. On the very far right, inside the silver ground shield, is BICEP3, which has been observing since 2016. The BICEP/Keck collaboration operates a series of small aperture telescopes including BICEP3 that are targeted at the search for signatures of inflationary gravitational waves. Credit: Robert Schwarz Faced with the tragic loss of the Arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico and the often prohibitive cost of satellite missions, astronomers are searching for savvy alternatives to continue answering fundamental questions in physics. At a press conference during the 2021 APS April Meeting, they will reveal new tactics across both hemispheres for illuminating gravitational waves and dark matter. Shining the oldest light in the universe on dark matter At the South Pole, a powerful set of telescopes could add a new function: studying the nature of dark matter and the history of stars. Only satellites can carry out surveys of the full sky, while Earth-based telescopes are able to spend years accumulating a lot of data on small patches. The BICEP/Keck array was designed as the world's most sensitive detector of the polarization of medium-to-large sky features. From Antarctica, the array searches small areas of the Big Bang's afterglow for primordial gravitational waves. Cyndia Yu, a graduate student at Stanford University, and the BICEP/Keck team are exploring the possibility that the very same telescopes could increase the length of their scansand thus capture much larger areas. "We are appreciating more and more the promise of moving away from detecting extremely faint signals on a small area, to looking for features on a larger sky patch," said Yu. The unconventional approach has yielded promising early results. Yu will share the initial performance of trial scans and forecast how sensitive the telescopes will be to targets including axion-like dark matter candidates and WIMP annihilations. "Satellite missions are very rare and expensive, so any chance we get to make more measurements from ground-based programs is very exciting," she said. Catching the wake of supermassive black holes In the northern hemisphere, galaxy-sized detectors are hunting for gravitational waves of very low frequency from the largest black holes in the universe. Representative illustration of the Earth embedded in space-time (which is deformed by the background gravitational waves) and its effects on radio signals coming from observed pulsars. Credit: Tonia Klein / NANOGrav "In some ways, these arrays are like the LIGO detector," said Megan DeCesar, Senior Research Scientist at George Mason University, referring to the observatory that first detected gravitational waves from other types of smaller black holes. "While LIGO uses lasers on Earth, pulsar timing arrays use steady pulses of radio waves from small, dense, rapidly rotating stars called pulsars that are located thousands of light years from Earth," she said. DeCesar and the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves collaboration analyzed more than a dozen years of pulsar data. They recently reported a signal that may be the first hint of a gravitational wave background, and which was stronger than expected based on previous data. If confirmed to be a gravitational wave signal, it would mean the discovery of gravitational waves produced from many double-black-hole systems, each of which will eventually merge to form even larger single black holes. Arecibo played a crucial role in NANOGrav observations. Its collapse in December dealt a blow to the collaboration, but thanks to increased observations at Green Bank and other facilities, NANOGrav is still on track to detect gravitational waves with several more years of data. DeCesar will discuss how current telescopes in West Virginia, New Mexico, and British Columbia, and future sensitive radio arrays, will allow NANOGrav to meet its gravitational-wave science goals. Explore further Video: A signal from beyond More information: CMB E-mode Science With the BICEP/Keck Program (S09.8) CMB E-mode Science With the BICEP/Keck Program (S09.8) meetings.aps.org/Meeting/APR21/Session/S09.8 The Search for Gravitational Waves With the NANOGrav Pulsar Timing Array (B01.1) meetings.aps.org/Meeting/APR21/Session/B01.1 BEDFORD, NS / ACCESSWIRE / April 16, 2021 / Silver Spruce Resources Inc. (TSX-V:SSE)(OTCQB:SSEBF) (the "Company" or "Silver Spruce") is pleased to report it has been approved to uplist its common stock on the OTCQB Marketplace and commence trading effective today, April 16, 2021. The Company's "SSEBF" trading symbol in the United States will remain unchanged. There is no action required by current shareholders as a result of this change. "Uplisting to the OTCQB demonstrates our commitment to providing existing and prospective shareholders with a greater degree of transparency and liquidity," stated CEO Mike Kinley. "It also exposes the Company to a broader range of institutional investors. Our OTCQB listing will now make it easier for U.S.-based investors to hold Silver Spruce shares in their Canadian brokerage accounts." The Venture Market, operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc., offers transparent trading in entrepreneurial and development stage companies that have met a minimum bid price test, are current in their financial reporting and have undergone an annual verification and management certification process. These standards provide a strong baseline of transparency, as well as the technology and regulation to improve the information and trading experience for investors. U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for SSEBF at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/SSEBF/quote. The Company's common shares will also continue to trade under the symbol "SSE" on the TSX Venture Exchange. About Silver Spruce Resources Inc. Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is a Canadian junior exploration company which has signed Definitive Agreements to acquire 100% of the Melchett Lake Zn-Au-Ag project in northern Ontario, and with Colibri Resource Corp. in Sonora, Mexico, to acquire 50% interest in Yaque Minerales S.A de C.V. holding the El Mezquite Au project, a drill-ready precious metal project, and 50% interest in Colibri's early stage Jackie Au project, with both properties located only 12 and 6 kilometres west from Minera Alamos's Nicho deposit, respectively. The Company also is pursuing exploration of the drill-ready and fully permitted Pino de Plata Ag project, located 15 kilometres west of Coeur Mining's Palmarejo Mine, 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. Michael Kinley, CEO (902) 826-1579 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/640728/Silver-Spruce-Announces-Approval-for-Trading-on-OTCQBR-Marketplace This browser is no longer supported at MarketWatch. For the best MarketWatch.com experience, please update to a modern browser. [April 16, 2021] soona Raises $10.2M Series A to Scale its Virtual Content Creation Platform, Transforming How Brands Shoot Photos and Videos for E-Commerce Today, soona, the world's first virtual content creation platform for e-commerce, announced it has raised $10.2M in Series A funding, led by Union Square Ventures. soona's technology powers virtual photo and video shoots, transforming the way brands create content for e-commerce and marketing. The company will use the funding to expand its proprietary Camera-to-Cloud technology and introduce a subscription product. soona solves three main problems associated with brand content by delivering high-quality creative from professional crews, a quick 24-hour turnaround time, and transparent pricing -- all within one collaborative and intuitive platform. "Two-thirds of a customer's online shopping decisions come down to the photos they see. Content is essential for brands to compete online and soona is the first product to combine quality, speed and price," said Liz Giorgi, co-founder and CEO of soona. "If you're launching a business, growing rapidly online, or expanding into new channels and markets, soona is the right solution. We are replacing the most painful and fragmented parts of content creation, which is an outdated and expensive process." Consumers spent over $860B online in 2020, up nearly 45 percent year over year, and soona is improving the way brands get new products online and available to consumers faster. soona's platform helps businesses meet the rowing demand for quality e-commerce visuals by upending the traditional model. The platform provides professional, affordable custom content with an unprecedented 24-hour delivery time, cutting down on the lengthy cycle that can add weeks or months to production. The need for innovation in producing content for the e-commerce stack is evident by soona's growth, which increased 400 percent in 2020 and is on track to do the same again in 2021. "soona's technology solves for the missing piece of the e-commerce stack," said Rebecca Kaden, Managing Partner at Union Square Ventures. "There is a huge opportunity to meet the demand of e-commerce brands as this category continues to grow. soona has already achieved exceptional organic growth and high customer retention, and we're thrilled to support this team." "We're using technology to scale creativity and making high-quality content accessible to all brands through our shoppable and interactive interface," said Hayley Anderson, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of soona. "By leveraging our proprietary technology, we are helping clients eliminate the physical and human limitations that exist within the content industry." How soona works: Clients simply book a shoot within soona's self-service software, choose from curated designs or take a style quiz to uncover their brand's visual personality, and select from its network of models, stylists and props. Customers ship their products and join their shoot online in real-time. Clients are obsessed with their virtual shoots because it allows them to give feedback to the crew like they would on an in-person set and see immediate changes and improvements on the dashboard. The a-la carte model of selling photos for $39 and video clips for $93 also means brands only purchase the content they love, and get it back within 24 hours. Brands can easily organize content within the platform, revisit previous shoots, download any of the content they've previously purchased, and shop their past shoots for more content at any time. With soona's 5-star rated Shopify app, brands can then swap content into their store and product listing pages in just one click. With over 4,000 customers including Lola Tampons, The Sill, and Wild Earth, and three hubs in Austin, TX; Denver, CO; and Minneapolis, MN, soona helps companies sell products online and in-store in four core industries: beauty and cosmetics, fashion and footwear, home goods, and petcare. This round of investment includes follow-on investments from Matchstick Ventures, Starting Line Ventures, 2048 Ventures and Range Ventures. For more information on how soona can help your brand, visit: soona.co. About soona soona is a casual content platform that helps brands make professional-quality photos and videos. The company was founded in 2019 by Liz Giorgi and Hayley Anderson after the successful acquisition of their first business, Mighteor. Liz and Hayley are a dynamic founding creative team with a shared vision of using tech to enhance the work of creatives and improve access to high-quality custom content. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210416005438/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Rio de Janeiro: Brazils hospitals are running out of drugs needed to sedate COVID-19 patients, with the government urgently seeking to import supplies amid reports of the seriously ill being tied down and intubated without effective sedatives. Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said his country was in talks with Spain and others to secure the emergency drugs. Hospitals, he added, were also struggling to get enough oxygen. The scenes playing out across Brazil, one of the nations hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, are placing growing international pressure on President Jair Bolsonaro. A patient infected with COVID-19 at the Ronaldo Gazolla hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Hospitals are running out of the sedatives needed to facilitate intubation. Credit:AP Aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said his governments failed response had led to thousands of avoidable deaths and created a humanitarian catastrophe that could still get worse. Sin Chew Daily No doubt, we are all Malaysians of Chinese ancestry. While we take pride in such an identity, we are definitely not Chinese nationals. We were born and raised here, and will most likely die here, too, some day. As such, we have never the least doubted our being Malaysian citizens, and we don't need any politician to keep reminding us of that. As long as we are Malaysians, there should not be any differentiation along racial lines. Save for a handful of unscrupulous politicians, no one in the right mind would believe this country belongs to only a single ethnic group or a political alliance. Our leaders and representatives today have all been voted democratically, and therefore anyone that wins will get to rule. If the competition is fair and square, it will be gladly accepted by all Malaysians, and there is no such thing as the Malays or the Chinese being the masters of this land. Owing to the country's historical background, for decades Umno, MCA and MIC representing their respective communities have formed a ruling coalition. This has nothing to do with "chauvinism". This is history, the way the nation's founding fathers built up this country with their wisdom so as to keep Malaysia peaceful and stable. But for the past two days, as the country's largest opposition party, DAP has misinterpreted its own assemblyman Ronnie Liu's call of "not diluting the party's Chineseness" as "Chinese chauvinism", thus entrenching the conflicts and squabbles already existent within the party. Liu's speech at the launch of party veteran Liew Ah Kim's new book last week could be summed up in two main points: not to dilute the party's "Chineseness", and to cooperate with Malay parties so long as its dignity is not compromised. The remark has since sparked open debates among party leaders across the generational divide. Among them the more cautiously worded like Lim Kit Siang: "DAP does not advocate any de-Chinese, de-Malay policy... first and foremost we are all Malaysians," and Anthony Loke: "The view expressed by Liu did not represent DAP at large, only personal view based on his own perception." The statements made by these two leaders were inconclusive, leaving ample room for further dialogues and communication among party members with differing views. Others have been more aggressive, such as Tony Phua: "Ronnie Liu is the Chinese chauvinist that DAP does not need," asserting that Liu's Chineseness strategy would set the party back for decades and was "perhaps the biggest insult one could throw at DAP". He also claimed that MCA had 'Chineseness-ed' themselves into oblivion and that DAP must rid itself of the "Chinese chauvinist" tag. If Phua's statement could represent DAP's, then we could draw the following conclusions: 1. DAP tolerates no dissident views; 2. Defending Chineseness constitutes the biggest insult for DAP; and 3. De-Chineseness is essential for the party to stay in power. So, de-Chineseness could help DAP win the support of non-Chinese voters? Such belief has oversimplified Malaysian politics and grossly underestimated the wisdom of our non-Chinese compatriots, and would most definitely not strike a chord among the Malays, that the rationale of diluting the party's Chineseness is to secure the support of the Malays. As for the Chinese, they will feel that DAP is being ungrateful having clinched their electoral support in past elections. Such a strategy will never reverse the stereotyped impression among the Malays towards the party, but will instead offend Chinese swing voters, and more likely than not, end up nowhere. MCA may not be a star performer in politics, and this should indeed serve as an invaluable lesson for DAP not to repeat the mistakes and dutifully does its part as a responsible opposition party, lest it falls back into MCA's predicament. Looking back at the 2018 general elections, to be fair MCA's lackluster performance could be largely blamed on corruption of the previous BN administration, not because of DAP's exemplary policies per se. Without a lift from Tun Mahathir, the party may not get to repeat the glory of 95% Chinese votes come the next election! Being serious in mapping out governing policies comes way more important than vainly manipulating political tactics to down a rival. Politicians, no matter how influential they might get, will have to bow out some day, when all the fames and glories will come to a decisive close. As such, political parties should strive to promote greater harmony in multicultural Malaysia for more sustained prosperity and peace, instead of fighting for more powers and gains. While in power they should rule with dignity and respect and when no more in power, shoulder the responsibility of checking the sitting government. UNTIL JUSTICE BE DONE Americas First Civil Rights Movement, From the Revolution to Reconstruction By Kate Masur 480 pp. Norton. $32. Assertions that the modern struggle for civil rights was a long movement that commenced well before Brown v. Board of Education (1954) have been a subject of recent and ardent debate. While most of these discussions center on the 20th century, Masur, an associate professor at Northwestern, skillfully establishes that Americas first civil rights movement started as far back as the late 18th century. The free states of the North and Midwest, she insightfully argues, constituted a post-slavery society where resistance to anti-Black laws formed a foundation for later federal legislation and constitutional reform. Masurs careful study begins with free states and localities passing laws that restricted Black mobility, property rights and access to the justice system. Black communities were subjected to white terrorism and violent treatment by white authorities. Black Americans protested, leading an early push for civil rights. What started out as individual and isolated efforts eventually consolidated into organized resistance with the African Methodist Episcopal Church emerging at the forefront. White abolitionists, along with a few white businessmen and politicians, joined in, sometimes working with Black leaders and at other times driving ahead separately. All activists agreed that Black Americans deserved liberty and property. Still, a significant proportion of whites opposed the Black vote and denied Black humanity. Some may object to such a broad definition of what constitutes a civil rights movement. But Masur deftly reveals how the loose nature of unlikely antebellum coalitions propelled justices fight. A milestone came with the case of Gilbert Horton, a free Black man jailed as a fugitive slave in the District of Columbia. His supporters secured his release, arguing that his detention was unconstitutional under the privileges and immunities clause. This victory, and others like it, eventually influenced key policies during Reconstruction, specifically the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the 14th Amendment. Masurs account speaks across time, revealing how this federal legislation became the foundation for a new vision. A historic murder case is coming to a conclusion and Kansas City leaders are preparing for the outcome. There's already a hint that the result will reignite tensions. As Derek Chauvin Trial Goes To Jury, The Outcome May Please No One Locally, the implications are exceptionally important given that unrest across the nation inspired KCMO protest, rioting and clashes with law enforcement following the death of George Floyd. Accordingly and with special thanks to KICK-ASS TKC TIPSTERS: KANSAS CITY LEADERS NOW DESPERATELY SEEKING CONSULT WITH ACTIVISTS AHEAD OF THE CHAUVIN TRIAL VERDICT!!! Here's the message from 12th & Oak . . . Whatever the strategy is, it's probably better than last time around wherein a police line of confrontation (read: Mexican standoff) on the Country Club Plaza created a poorly planned showdown in which both cops & protesters were hurt and ensuing property damage was rampant. And so, we wait for the decision and hope predictions from some activists that "all Hell will break loose" are unfounded or at least spare Kansas City. Developing . . . With the potentially decisive Democratic primary just over two months away, our Metro reporters Dana Rubinstein and Jeffery C. Mays have written an article looking at how the hunt for super PAC cash is complicating the race and raising ethical questions about some campaigns, including a few that are also receiving public matching funds. Dana took a moment out of her Friday afternoon to catch me up on where things stand. Hi Dana. So, the Citizens United decision was handed down in 2010. Yet it seems as if this is the first time were hearing about super PACs being used in a big way in the New York mayors race. How does this development interact with the citys newly beefed-up matching-funds policy, which is aimed at encouraging small donations? Is this a case of contradictory policies or, as a source in your story put it, like patching one part of your roof and the water finds another way in? There was some independent-expenditure (or I.E.) activity in the 2013 mayoral primary, but it wasnt candidate specific with one possible exception. There was a super PAC called New York City Is Not for Sale that was candidate specific, in the sense that it was targeting one candidate, Christine Quinn, and it got its funding from Bill de Blasio supporters. But this is really the first time weve seen candidate-specific I.E.s. As theyve proliferated on the national level, New York City candidates have been taking their cues from the national scene. If you talk to folks at the Brennan Center, who are big advocates for the matching-funds program, theyll point to it and say that voters should take heart, because in many ways it is proving itself to be a success. The six mayoral candidates who qualified for matching funds this year were the most ever. The matching funds are being doled out in accordance with how many voters from New York City are contributing to campaigns, and that means someone like Dianne Morales, who has no previous electoral history and was not at all a big player in the New York political scene before this election, is able to make a real case for the mayoralty. She is able to mount a real campaign. She got like $2 million in matching funds in this round. But then you have this parallel universe of super PAC money. And in some cases you have candidates who are getting matching funds which are our taxpayer dollars and benefiting from super PACs. Of course, super PACs are supposed to be independent and not coordinate with campaigns, but regardless, for some voters its hard to see that and think its an ideal scenario. As many as 2,20,196 voters, comprising 1,09,128 male and 1,11,068 female voters, will decide the fate of 41 candidates in the fray. (Photo: PTI) Hyderabad: The stage is set for the bypoll to the Nagarjunasagar Assembly constituency, with voting slated on Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm. Stakes are high for all three major parties, the TRS, the Congress and the BJP, though the chances are clearly not equal on polling eve. The TRS, which managed to put the brakes on the BJPs winning march by wresting a Legislative Council seat from the saffron party and retaining another seat recently, is keen to continue its winning streak and retain the Nagarjunasagar seat. It is hoping that Nomula Bhagat, son of deceased MLA Nomula Narasimhaiah, will make his legislative debut shortly. The Congress is making all the efforts to regain its lost bastion, Nagarjunasagar, from where its candidate K. Jana Reddy created a record by winning seven times. The party has recieved good response from the people during its campaign, in which several leaders participated, but is waiting for actual voting to figure out if it can manage a win. The BJP, whose Mission 2023 received a jolt with the defeat in MLC polls. has fielded a lightweight, Dr P. Ravi Kumar. It is aiming to repeat the feat of the Dubbak Assembly bypoll, where it wrested a seat from the TRS and set a narrative of being the only viable alternative in Telangana state. As many as 2,20,196 voters, comprising 1,09,128 male and 1,11,068 female voters, will decide the fate of 41 candidates in the fray. Two EVMs will be used in each polling booth to accommodate the 41 candidates. There are 8,151 postal ballot votes, of which 1,433 votes have already been posted. The Election Commission has made wearing of masks mandatory for all voters and polling staff in the 346 polling booths. The EC has made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the election by deploying 2,390 security personnel, comprising three companies of Central Armed Police Forces, numbering 290, TS Special Police 12th Battalion numbering 50. Webcasting will be done from 210 polling booths while 130 micro observers, 44 sector officers and 44 route officers were appointed to monitor the polling process. Covid patients will be allowed to vote after 6 pm. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. Senior Catalina Cata Monteiro will represent Ida B. Wells High School on the 2021 Portland Rose Festival Court. The daughter of Rachel and Lalit Monteiro, she was born in Portland and plans to pursue a career in medicine. She is the schools Key Club co-president and ASB vice president. Monteiro was named Ida B. Wells princess Thursday during an online ceremony that included school and Rose Festival officials, her predecessor on the court Emma Laboe and fellow candidates, seniors Bridget McMurray and Eleanor Potter and junior Hannah Worden. Monteiro is the 14th princess named to the 2021 court. The court will be complete Friday, when St. Marys Academy announces its princess. The other members of the court are: This years online court announcements are just one more example of how the Rose Festival has adapted to COVID-19 protocols in a year that has already seen the festival cancel its large public events, including the Grand Floral Parade and CityFair. In all, the festival will name 15 young women to the court from Portland-area high schools. Each of them will receive a $3,500 scholarship provided by The Randall Group and one-on-one mentorship arranged by Unitus Community Credit Union. The court will make public appearances as COVID-19 precautions allow. The Queens Coronation will be staged in June in Washington Park, as it was in 2020. Watch the court announcement below and read more about Cata Monteiro as told to the Portland Rose Festival. Future education plans: Im planning on an undergraduate focus on finance and pre-med, with medical school hopefully in the future. Career plans: Im considering being a general or nurse practitioner; definitely something in the medical field. High school activities and honors: Key Club Co-president, Asian Desi Pacific Islander Club (ADPI) member, ASB vice president, Model United Nations (MUN) member, No Place for Hate Program (with the Anti-Defamation League) facilitator, district student council representative. Hobbies and special interests: I love reading, hanging out with my cats, and baking when I have the time (I make some mean cookies). I also embroider. Though Im not perfect at it, its lots of fun! I am equally in love with science and math. What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? Theres a small park called Pendleton, and it holds so many happy memories. I was basically raised in parks, swinging around on the playground equipment and having picnics in the grass, and this one will always be my favorite. Its one of those small, beloved community spots in Portland that is fun at any age, and its been a great privilege to be able to grow up so surrounded by nature and a representation of the best parts of Portland. What are you most proud of during your high school career? At the beginning of this year, I was given the opportunity to tutor core chemistry students and help them get caught up in class. My first student was incredibly bright, but needed a little extra time. A month or so in, she took a chemistry test and got an A! I was so incredibly proud of her, because shed worked so hard and brought her grade up significantly. I feel like I was able to make a difference in her life, to really help her, even for such a small thing that may be insignificant to her in 20 years. What is your favorite Rose Festival event and why? My favorite Rose Festival Event is CityFair. Ive always loved carnivals, and its such a wonderful opportunity to hang out with friends, visit a different part of the city from where I live, and simply have a fun time! Also, I love snacks, and CityFair is very good at providing those. Unitus Community Credit Union Mentor: Michelle Lachenmeier. Kjerstin Gabrielson, kgabrielson@oregonian.com The data centre market currently consumes a mind-boggling 2% or so of worldwide power demand ( ) is to deepen its relationship with ABB Schweiz AG, the provider of electric vehicle charge points, electrification and digitalisation technologies. AFC, a specialist in hydrogen power generation technologies, said ABB has subscribed for 3.25mln in newly issued AFC shares, while Dutco Group, a Dubai-based conglomerate, has subscribed for 1.5mln of new shares, resulting in the issue of 7.36mln new shares in aggregate. AFC has also placed 46.9mln shares with institutional investors to raise a further 30.25mln. All the newly issued shares (including the subscription shares) have been priced at 64.5p. AFC shares closed at 68p last night. The newly issued shares represent around 7.4% of the AFC enlarged share capital. The money raised will be used to support the continued product development of AFC Energy and ABB's next-generation high power sustainable electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions; develop new power solutions using AFC's alkaline fuel cell technology platform, including the high growth global data centre market in collaboration with ABB; and support the continued development of the company's scalable manufacturing capacity to address possible future growth in system demand. AFC Energy and AFC have signed a new agreement to extend their partnership to include the power-hungry data centre market. The existing partnership between the two will be broadened to include the testing, design and integration of AFC Energy's alkaline fuel cell technology into ABB's data centre system portfolio to provide a zero-emission, sustainable turn-key power solution for the growing number of current and prospective data centres currently servicing the world's data storage and processing requirements. It is expected that once demonstrated, the alkaline fuel cell system will form an integral part of the portfolio of technologies available to ABB in meeting its data centre customer requirements and therefore provides a strong route to market for AFC Energy's fuel cell platform in this sector. AFC said ABB's investment into AFC Energy demonstrates the corporate commitment both companies place in their e-Mobility partnership that seeks to set new standards in zero-emission high power EV charging. "The investment in AFC Energy brings an opportunity to further the advancement of technologies that can ultimately enable a wider reach to remote off-grid locations. AFC Energy's goals to deliver clean energy solutions perfectly align with ABB's commitment to innovation and enabling low carbon societies, making them an ideal solution partner," said Frank Muehlon, the head of ABBs global business for e-mobility infrastructure solutions. Adam Bond, AFCs chief executive, said both companies are confident that ABB's position in the e-mobility and data centre sectors will be further enhanced by the integration of AFCs alkaline fuel cell technology. We continue to receive strong customer enquiries into our partnership from all over the world, confirming we are working with the right partners, on the right technology, at the right time to support society's accelerated drive towards a more sustainable world, Bond said. Press Release April 15, 2021 Senate to President Duterte: Withdraw EO lowering tariffs on pork imports THE Senate on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution urging President Rodrigo Duterte to withdraw Executive Order (EO) 128 that lowers the tariff on pork imports. A total of 18 senators manifested their support for the resolution including Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, who reiterated the call for Malacanang to urgently declare a state of calamity due to the African swine fever (ASF). "Declaring a state of calamity is important because we have to free up funds from the calamity fund to provide the necessary support. The Secretary of Agriculture has already said he needs 8.6 billion pesos for 2021 to address the swine fever and he only has 2.6 or 4 billion pesos. Kulang pa. Saan niya kukunin 'yon?" Pangilinan said. Malacanang issued Executive Order 128 lowering import tariffs for pork, potentially costing the government 11 billion pesos in tariff collections with the flood of pork imports severely impacting local pork production. Contrary to the experience of the local hog industry, National Economic and Development Authority Acting Secretary Karl Chua told Thursday's Senate hearing that the temporary increase in tariffs will not kill the local hog industry. However, he agreed that the current situation is more severe than the 2018 rice crisis. "There is no such competitiveness enhancement fund for the hog industry," Pangilinan said, noting that unlike the rice sector, the local hog industry is facing a calamity and losses of around 68 billion pesos due to ASF. At the same time, Pangilinan said the local rice industry had the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund for cash assistance and support to rice farmers in anticipation of the entry of imported rice. The former Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agriculture Modernization said that comparing the rice industry situation from 2018 to the current pork crisis is simplistic and is comparing apples to oranges. "The rice sector then was not facing Covid. Today, you have the hog industry facing Covid. So all these seems to ignore the plight of the hog industry given all the challenges that it is facing," Pangilinan said. Local hog raisers echoed Pangilinan's call to declare a state of calamity due to ASF. Former Congressman Nicanor Briones, who is a local hog raiser, said: "Kaya po 'yung state of calamity na hinihingi ng ating mga senador, ni Senator Kiko Pangilinan, napakaimportante po niyan. Kailangan po maglagay ng malaking pondo. Sa halip na 'yung taripa ay makukuha dito sa importation at magagamit na pondo para mapigilan ang African swine fever, ay hindi po nangyari dahil inalis pa at ibinigay sa mga importer. Briones is the current vice president of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines. In March, the Senate adopted Pangilinan's Senate Resolution 97 calling for the declaration of a state of calamity to free up funds needed to address ASF, as well as to oppose the reduction of the tariff rates and the lifting of the cap on imported pork products. According to Agriculture Secretary William Dar, the Palace is already considering the declaration and is simply pending the recommendation from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The new Senate Resolution also resolves to approve in plenary the appropriate Resolution for fixing the pork tariff rates and MAV if necessary. Hunter Biden's new autobiography, Beautiful Things, posted disappointing sales in its first week on the shelves, selling just over 10,000 copies despite a massive promotional push. The new 272-page book detailing Hunter's struggles with addiction and tragedy debuted at No. 12 on the Publisher's Weekly hardcover nonfiction chart, after selling a meager 10,638 copies. It was edged out slightly in the rankings by 'The Calcium Connection: The Little-Known Enzyme at the Root of Your Cellular Health.' Topping the list was poet Amanda Gorman's The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country, which sold 42,000 copies for the week. The sales for Beautiful Things were viewed as disappointing in light of Hunter's international PR blitz that saw him appear on the BBC, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and two separate interviews with CBS News. Hunter Biden appears on the BBC. His new autobiography, Beautiful Things posted disappointing sales in its first week on the shelves, selling just over 10,000 copies Hunter dishes with CBS Sunday Morning. On the Amazon Best Sellers charts, Beautiful Things had dropped to number 208 by Friday By comparison, Michelle Obama's 2018 autobiography Becoming sold 1.4 million copies in its first week. On the Amazon Best Sellers charts, Beautiful Things had dropped to No. 208 by Friday, after reaching No. 5. It remained No. 4 on the New York Times bestsellers list for 'Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction.' The autobiography lays bare the demons that nearly destroyed Hunter and almost derailed his father's presidential campaign, including the death of his brother Beau and his struggles with addiction to crack. Hunter's new memoir, Beautiful Things, came out April 6 He also addresses his affair with former stripper Lunden Roberts, whom he impregnated in 2018 while he was dating his brother's widow Hallie. In the lead up to his father's election, Hunter, 51, who has five children by three different women, had become the focus of attacks by Republicans over his lucrative work with Ukrainian energy company Burisma. In the book Hunter writes: 'In the last five years alone, my two-decades-long marriage has dissolved, guns have been put in my face, and at one point I dropped clean off the grid, living in $59-a-night Super 8 motels off the I-95 while scaring my family even more than myself'. The tragedy which drove Hunter into Hallie's arms was the death of Beau at the age of just 46. Hunter speaks movingly of his love for his brother, a former Attorney General of Delaware who he was convinced would be president one day. But then doctors diagnosed him with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer after he began to have auditory hallucinations. Hunter opens up on CBS This Morning. His autobiography lays bare the demons which nearly destroyed Hunter and almost derailed his father's presidential campaign Hunter appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! His autobiography did not sell as well as expected in its first week, given the heavy publicity tour In 2013 while on a family holiday in Michigan, he witnessed Beau have a 'terrifying' seizure that was 'like something out of The Exorcist'. Hunter writes: 'The violence erupting inside his body was being expressed in convulsions and contractions; you could almost literally see the storm raging inside his brain'. Beau was given a one percent chance of survival, but still decided to go through radiation therapy even though it left him so weak he was unable to use the bathroom on his own. Hunter writes: 'If I had to do it over again, I never would have agreed to put Beau through...the radiation. 'Given the chances of his coming through and the pain and the deficits it inflicted, it was almost barbaric'. Beau lost his battle to cancer on May 30, 2015, less than two years after he was diagnosed. Hunter writes that 'after Beau died, I never felt more alone. I lost hope'. He began a 'deep descent' into drug binges that Hunter details in jaw-dropping detail, explaining how his life see-sawed between periods of sobriety and extreme substance abuse. During one failed recovery he let a homeless crack addict who he bought drugs from move in with him at his apartment in Washington. 'The relationship was symbiotic,' he writes. 'It was two crack addicts who couldn't find their way out of a paper bag. A one-act crack farce.' Hunter Biden released his 'tell-all' memoir Beautiful Things on April 6, but left out shocking details. DailyMail.com revealed those secrets after contents of his abandoned laptop - including a cache of 103,000 text messages, 154,000 emails, more than 2,000 photos - were verified by top forensics experts Hunter recalls a time when a gun was pointed at his face while on his search for drugs. 'I went through and stepped around people curled up on thin pieces of cardboard. Beyond them, I noticed a tilting, unlit tent. It was pitch black. All I saw was the gun pointed at my face,' he writes. However, DailyMail.com revealed the secrets Hunter chose not to divulge in his book, exposed in the contents of his abandoned laptop and verified by top forensics experts. The bombshell cache of 103,000 text messages, 154,000 emails, more than 2,000 photos and dozens of videos was packed with revelations conveniently missing from the memoir. The revelations included how he begged his father to run for president in 2019 to salvage Hunter's own reputation, and Joe Biden's fear of being hacked as they discussed his presidential run. The trove also included explicit photos and videos depicting Hunter's escapades, often with two prostitutes at a time. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - There was positive movement in New Yorks COVID-19 hospitalization numbers on Thursday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that 3,963 people were in the hospital with coronavirus in the state on Thursday. Thats the first time that there have been fewer than 4,000 people hospitalized with COVID in New York since Dec. 1, 2020. Albert Bourla, CEO of vaccine maker Pfizer, said it was likely that those who had received two shots of the vaccine would need a booster shot in 12 months to continue protection against COVID-19, CNBC reported. Top White House pandemic advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci on MSNBC on Monday had also said that booster shots might be needed in a year. Cuomo this week also loosened curfew restrictions on bars and restaurants, saying that they would be allowed to stay open until midnight as of Monday. The current curfew is 11 p.m. The coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside-down, and we need information like we never have before. How many new cases were there on Staten Island today? How many deaths? How many people have been released from the hospital? What are out elected officials, federal, state and local, doing to keep New Yorkers safe? What other news is top of mind? More importantly, when are we going to get back to normal, whatever normal is? Its almost too much to keep up with. So every day around 4 p.m., Mark and I take to Facebook Live to give you all the information you need. You can then look for this written wrap-up on SILive.com at the end of the day. Well give you the numbers and all the latest news. Well answer your questions. Well follow up on your news tips. Well share the good news too, the way that the Staten Island community is coming together in this time of crisis. Or well just share this strange and unique pandemic moment with you, as fellow Staten Islanders. Were all in this together. Well all get through this together. Stuart Appelbaum, the president of the union that recently lost a vote to organize Amazon (AMZN) warehouse workers in Alabama, sharply criticized Jeff Bezos on Friday over the CEO's pledge in a shareholder letter the day before to "do better" for its employees. The remarks from Bezos likely indicate a public relations effort to minimize the damage inflicted on the tech giant's reputation over the course of the months-long union drive at its facility in Bessemer, Al., said Appelbaum, who leads the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, or RWDSU. Appelbaum called on the company to implement the sentiment expressed by Bezos through improved working conditions and the abandonment of anti-union intimidation efforts. "We cannot just allow him to get away with empty words," Appelbaum tells Yahoo Finance. "Where they say nice words, what we really need are nice actions." "I certainly hope that what Bezos says is not just another PR effort at damage control," he adds. "Weve seen too many examples about how Amazon has been more concerned with dealing with public relations damage than dealing with the underlying problem." : Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail Workers Department Store Union speaks out. Photo by Andy Katz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) A tally completed on April 9 found workers at the warehouse in Bessemer voted overwhelmingly against the union, though RWDSU has vowed to file charges claiming Amazon illegally interfered with the election. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the remarks from Appelbaum. 'We need a better vision' In the shareholder letter on Thursday, Bezos acknowledged the need to improve treatment of employees at the company, referring to the recent union vote. I think we need to do a better job for our employees," Bezos wrote in the letter, which will be his last before he steps down as CEO later this year. "While the voting results were lopsided and our direct relationship with employees is strong, its clear to me that we need a better vision for how we create value for employees a vision for their success." Story continues Bezos added that he has always wanted to be Earths Most Customer-Centric Company, and hes committing the company to be Earths Best Employer and Earths Safest Place to Work. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos testifies during a hearing on "Online Platforms and Market Power" in the Rayburn House office Building on Capitol Hill, in Washington, U.S., July 29, 2020. Mandel Ngan/Pool via REUTERS Workers at the warehouse in Bessemer criticized what they say were grueling conditions enforced by digital devices that they say track them every minute. Employees also claimed inadequate safety protections heightened stress and health risks tied to COVID-19. Amazon strongly rebuked such claims, citing a host of safety measures implemented during the pandemic and a compensation package that includes benefits and entry-level pay of $15.30, more than double the federal minimum wage. In his letter, Bezos referenced surveys that show 94% of workers at Amazon fulfillment centers would recommend Amazon to a friend as a place to work. He also said that Amazon employees are free to take informal breaks, in addition to the 30-minute lunch and 30-minute break they receive each shift. The National Labor Relations Board, which tallied the votes, found that 1,798 votes were cast against the union and 738 were cast in favor. While 76 ballots were void and 505 were challenged, Amazon's victory was decisive. Still, just 3,041 of 5,876 eligible voters cast ballots. Appelbaum said observers should not interpret the union vote results as evidence of worker contentment but rather anti-union intimidation undertaken by Amazon. "People should not presume the results of this vote means that workers are satisfied with Amazons working conditions," he says. "Instead, what the results really demonstrate is the powerful impact of employer intimidation and interference." "People throughout the United States and around the world need to hold Bezos and Amazon accountable for the desperate need to make change in working conditions at their warehouses," he says. Over the course of the union drive, which began last summer, RWDSU never spoke with Bezos, Applebaum said. But he would welcome a dialogue with Bezos about working conditions at the company, he added. "If he is serious about making change, we would welcome a conversation with Bezos about what we have heard and what we have discovered," he says. Read more: When the Hyundai HCD-15 Santa Cruz concept debuted at the 2015 Detroit auto show, it was eagerly received. Autoblog described it as "the compact pickup we've been waiting for." As it turned out, we waited quite a while for it, but now that the production version is here as the 2022 Santa Cruz pickup, we thought it would be interesting to take a look back to see how it differs from the concept. The HCD-15 (on the right) had somewhat generic front-end styling that was not lifted from any existing Hyundai production model. At the time of the concept's debut, project lead John Krsteski, Manager at Hyundai Design America, said that a production version "could be based on something like a Tucson." And that's exactly what happened. Thus, the 2022 Santa Cruz borrows the front clip from the new Tucson, complete with its neat merging of LED lighting elements and grille design. From this view, we can also see an evolution in the vehicle's proportions, with the squat roofline and wider appearance giving way to the production model's taller greenhouse, with a windshield that again appears shared with the Tucson. The biggest evolution in the Santa Cruz concept can be seen in the profile view. The HCD-15 (right) hewed to the extended-cab pickup norm with its door configuration of long front doors paired with half-sized, rear-hinged rear doors. But as that configuration has fallen in popularity in favor of genuine four-door crew-cab pickups, Hyundai wisely switched the Santa Cruz to four regular doors. The switch makes for a less-sporty appearance, perhaps, but far more practicality and, likely, better market acceptance. The production Santa Cruz also adopts the new Tucson's front-fender treatment, again part of the attempt to keep costs in line by using shared components. But it also retains much from the concept: the C-pillar treatment, the kick-up at the rear of the window line, the lower body styling, the location of the axles within the body and the plain round wheel arches. Story continues At the rear, the styling of the production Santa Cruz (left) has taken a turn toward conventional truck aesthetics with its less-rounded lower tailgate and squared-off, separate bumper. In place of the integrated exhaust outlets of the concept, we have chunky steps built into the ends of the bumper. The central Hyundai logo is gone, although the brand name is stamped into the tailgate handle. The tailgate's surface treatment is similar, however, as is the taillight design. Hyundai didn't provide dimensions for the concept's cargo bed, but it appears to be no bigger than that of the production truck, which is just over 4 feet long. For an added dose of utility, the concept floated the idea of a drawer-like bed extension. That would have been neat, but the production Santa Cruz settles for a conventional drop-down tailgate, albeit one that also can be opened partway to be at the same height as the wheel housings inside the bed. The tailgate of the 2022 Santa Cruz also follows pickup convention with its stamped nameplate: SANTA CRUZ. The lettering is a beefy design that looks appropriate, but we're partial to the more unusual lettering that was used in the concept, embossed into the front spoiler. Was it deemed too funky for production? Overall, though the Santa Cruz concept of six years ago has been altered significantly in its journey from show car to showroom, the changes that have been made did not fundamentally alter the look and feel of the vehicle. Hyundai's designers should be commended for maintaining the spirit of the captivating concept as they brought this product to an equally captivating reality. Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-16 20:08:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A health worker in protective gear takes a nasal swab sample from a woman during a routine COVID-19 test at a hospital in Hyderabad, capital of India's southern state of Telangana on April 16, 2021. (Str/Xinhua) HONG KONG, April 16 (Xinhua) -- India and Thailand on Friday both registered record-high numbers of COVID-19 cases amid the new wave of infections regardless of the ongoing vaccination campaign in the Asia-Pacific. India reported another fresh high of 217,353 new COVID-19 cases, as the daily spike surpassed 200,000 for the second consecutive day, taking the total tally to 14,291,917, according to the data released by the federal health ministry. Sri Lanka is facing a severe shortage of AstraZeneca vaccines due to a ban on vaccine exports imposed by the Indian government amid a rise in COVID-19 infections there, local media reported. Thailand reported 1,582 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number in a day since the pandemic began, rising for the third consecutive day, according to the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). The latest wave of infections in the Southeast Asian country brought Thailand's total caseload to 39,038, with 97 fatalities. The Indian government has decided to import 50,000 metric tons (MT) of medical oxygen to augment its availability in the country, officials said. India's health ministry asked other ministries to issue instructions to the hospitals under their control or their public sector undertakings (PSUs) to set up exclusive dedicated hospital wards or separate blocks within the hospitals for COVID-19 care. The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 5,363 within one day to 1,594,722, with the death toll adding by 123 to 43,196, the Health Ministry said. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported on 10,726 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 914,971. The death toll climbed to 15,738 after 145 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said. More than 50,000 people in Fiji have received the AstraZeneca vaccine and the next batch of 24,000 more doses from the COVAX facility will arrive in the island nation next week. According to a statement by Fiji's Health Ministry, Fiji's Minister for Health Ifereimi Waqainabete said the current vaccine supply has been exhausted. More than 500 people, mostly frontline workers and those vulnerable to the virus, have received the AstraZeneca vaccine in Tonga, a Pacific island nation with a population of more than 100,000. Cambodia confirmed 262 new COVID-19 cases and two more fatalities in the past 24 hours, the country's Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement. New Zealand reported one case of COVID-19 in managed isolation and no new cases in the community. People aged between 20-39 have been most affected by the coronavirus in Nepal as nearly half of the total confirmed cases reported on Thursday belonged to this age group, Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population said. South Korea reported 673 more cases of COVID-19 as of midnight Thursday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 112,789. The daily caseload was down from 698 the previous day, but it stayed above 600 for three straight days. Enditem Treasury instead said it would continue enhanced engagement with Vietnam and Switzerland and begin such talks with Taiwan, which includes urging the trading partners to address undervaluation of their currencies. There is no fixed duration for how long such talks can go without a resolution. Mark Sobel, the chairman of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, said the Biden administration was wise to take a more nuanced approach to assessing how countries were managing foreign exchange. He noted that Switzerland faced unusual monetary policy and safe-haven challenges and that Vietnams foreign exchange reserves had been low when it received the manipulator label last year. A government can suppress the value of its currency by selling it in foreign exchange markets and stockpiling dollars. Moreover, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea have traditionally been even worse offenders than Switzerland and Vietnam, according to Mr. Sobel, even though the United States has avoided calling them out for it. I think the new Treasury team is more willing to recognize that the relative policy divergence between the U.S. and others is a significant factor in that, Mr. Sobel said. I also think the Trump administration approach was much more belligerent as a general proposition. Taiwan was the United States 10th-largest trading partner in 2019, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Vietnam was the 13th largest and Switzerland the 16th. While the United States has been deepening ties with Taiwan as part of its effort to confront China, the Biden administration is also calling for a major investment in Americas semiconductor industry to reduce the nations reliance on imports from Taiwan and other countries. YOLO COUNTY, Calif. - A variant of the coronavirus that first emerged in Brazil has been identified in Yolo County, Health Davis Together said in a news release. The P.1 variant is the third variant of the coronavirus to be identified in Davis, Calif. The person who tested positive for the variant from Brazil has been notified and is in isolation. Health officials said contact tracing started within a few days of sample collection and testing. The individual lives in Davis and has not been vaccinated for the coronavirus. SIGN UP: Receive email updates on the Coronavirus pandemic Health Davis Together said according to the CDC, the new variant found in Yolo County has been detected in 31 states and California has reported 41 cases of it. On April 6, the B.1.351 variant was found in Davis and the B.1.1.7 was found in Feb., making the P.1 variant the third different variant to be identified in Davis. Health Davis Together said the three variants spread at higher rates, increasing its prevalence quickly. Health officials are urging residents to continue wearing a mask when in public, continue socially distancing, and washing your hands regularly. For more information about different variants, go to the CDC website. The arrival of activist investor Elliott Management on the doorstep of Glaxosmithkline's glistening headquarters in Brentford has caught Emma Walmsley and her team on the hop. The pharmaceutical group is aware of investor disquiet about a lagging share price compared with peers on both sides of the Atlantic. The crossover in valuations between its main UK counterpart Astrazeneca and GSK, previously regarded as the UK's top rated big pharma group, has underlined perceived under-performance. Under pressure: GSK shares have been a disappointment, dropping 14 per cent since Emma Walmsley took the helm Walmsley has moved aggressively to change this. The choice of highly-rated Hal Barron to take charge of pharma and R&D with the aim of bringing new biotech skills to the table and speeding up new compounds has been part of that. It would be a huge step backwards were one of Elliott's demands be to pare back research spend, which is up 30 per cent since Walmsley's appointment as chief executive four years ago. She also listened to shareholder pressure to release value with the proposal, to be executed early next year, to split the group's cash-generating consumer healthcare arm from drugs and vaccines. A further division between pharma and vaccines has been resisted since it would involve in doubling up, among other things, on regulatory teams around the globe. It has been an acute disappointment that GSK's joint vaccine development with Sanofi came up with a dud first time around. It is worth noting, however, that this was never going to a profits gusher because GSK, similarly to AZ, made it clear that initially it was going to be a vaccine for humanity sold at close to cost. Perversely, though, the success of vaccine rollout by AZ, Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson et al has hurt GSK. In recent times it has been the great vaccine innovator, developing the blockbuster Shingrix injection for shingles, a stream-lined inoculation treatment for HIV, the HPV vaccines against cervical cancer as well as a shot for some forms of meningitis. With health systems around the world working flat out to deliver Covid vaccinations in the hope of stemming the pandemic, other programmes notably the Shingrix jab have fallen by the wayside causing a revenue hit for GSK. The group's great breakthrough in the pandemic, a monoclonal antibody VIR-7831 for Covid infections developed with Vir Biotechnology, has received scant attention. Yet indications are remarkable, showing an 85 per cent efficacy in early treatment of Covid19 patients, guarding against hospitalisation and death in other words, a medicine which could halt the dangers from Covid in its tracks. The European Medicines Agency has just begun a review of the data which already is being examined at by the Food & Drug Administration in Washington. GSK is working on alternate ways to administer the compound which at present requires a jab. GSK's main financial advisers Citibank are well aware of the record of Elliott, which in the past has forced Softbank, Whitbread, BHP and eventually Akzo Nobel managements to change course. The threat may require Walmsley and the board to strengthen the defences by bringing in extra advisers experienced in dealing with activists. One curiosity is that in the past, Elliott has been very specific about its goals and has issued detailed manifestos making the case for change. So far there is no word as to what Elliott wants, although there is speculation around Walmsley's role after the split, a less generous dividend payout and clawback of R&D budgets. The is no escaping the fact that GSK shares (which I hold) have been a disappointment, dropping 14 per cent since Walmsley took the helm. This is in a period when AZ stock has advanced 40 per cent from an admittedly low start. Elliott may have ideas for extracting early gains, but cool heads should bear in mind that drug development is a long-term activity and anything which disrupts the UK's leadership in life sciences should be robustly challenged. Code breaking The City referee, the Takeover Panel, has a reputation for gnomic pronouncements, which has advisers scrambling for copies of its rulebook the City Code. In the latest change, included in Instrument 2021-22, the Panel is giving a nod to the 'woke' agenda. Appointment 16 April 2021 Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the appointment of Colette Baruth as vice president and commercial director for All-Inclusive Hotels & Resorts in the Americas. Baruth will lead a newly formed cross-functional commercial team that will share direct reporting lines with sales, marketing, distribution and regional sales. The creation of this position and a dedicated new team represents Hilton's commitment to expanding its all-inclusive category. Hilton's all-inclusive portfolio includes key properties such as Hilton Playa Del Carmen, an All-Inclusive Resort, Hilton La Romana, an All-Inclusive Family Resort and Hilton La Romana, an All-Inclusive Adult Resort. Additionally, Hilton will welcome its newest all-inclusive resorts, The Yucatan Resort Playa del Carmen, Tapestry Collection by Hilton and Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort, expected to open later this year. A travel and tourism industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, Baruth provides leadership expertise in strategic planning and development, brand positioning, marketing, sales and distribution. Most recently, she served as senior vice president, global commerce and distribution for the Americas with AMResorts, and previously, acted as vice president of global product development, Latin America, for Flight Centre Travel Group USA. Back in the good old days, when things were more innocent and simple, the psychopathic Central Intelligence Agency had to covertly infiltrate the news media to manipulate the information Americans were consuming about their nation and the world. Nowadays, there is no meaningful separation between the news media and the CIA at all. Journalist Glenn Greenwald just highlighted an interesting point about the reporting by The New York Times on the so-called Bountygate story the outlet broke in June of last year about the Russian government trying to pay Taliban-linked fighters to attack US soldiers in Afghanistan. One of the NYT reporters who originally broke the Russia bounty story (originally attributed to unnamed intelligence officials) say today that it was a CIA claim, Greenwald tweeted. So media outlets again repeated CIA stories with no questioning: congrats to all. Indeed, NYTs original story made no mention of CIA involvement in the narrative, citing only officials, yet this latest article speaks as though it had been informing its readers of the storys roots in the lying, torturing, drug-running, warmongering Central Intelligence Agency from the very beginning. The author even writes The New York Times first reported last summer the existence of the C.I.A.s assessment, with the hyperlink leading to the initial article which made no mention of the CIA. It wasnt until later that The New York Times began reporting that the CIA was looking into the Russian bounties allegations at all. This would be the same Russian bounties narrative which was discredited all the way back in September when the top US military official in Afghanistan said no satisfactory evidence had surfaced for the allegations, which was further discredited today with a new article by The Daily Beast titled U.S. Intel Walks Back Claim Russians Put Bounties on American Troops. The Daily Beast, which has itself uncritically published many articles promoting the CIA Bountygate narrative, reports the following: It was a blockbuster story about Russias return to the imperial Great Game in Afghanistan. The Kremlin had spread money around the longtime central Asian battlefield for militants to kill remaining U.S. forces. It sparked a massive outcry from Democrats and their #resistance amplifiers about the treasonous Russian puppet in the White House whose admiration for Vladimir Putin had endangered American troops. But on Thursday, the Biden administration announced that U.S. intelligence only had low to moderate confidence in the story after all. Translated from the jargon of spyworld, that means the intelligence agencies have found the story is, at best, unproven and possibly untrue. So the mass media aggressively promoted a CIA narrative that none of them ever saw proof of, because there was no proof, because it was an entirely unfounded claim from the very beginning. They quite literally ran a CIA press release and disguised it as a news story. This allowed the CIA to throw shade and inertia on Trumps proposed troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Germany, and to continue ramping up anti-Russia sentiments on the world stage, and may well have contributed to the fact that the agency will officially be among those who are exempt from Bidens performative Afghanistan withdrawal. In totalitarian dictatorships, the government spy agency tells the news media what stories to run, and the news media unquestioningly publish it. In free democracies, the government spy agency says Hoo buddy, have I got a scoop for you! and the news media unquestioningly publish it. In 1977 Carl Bernstein published an article titled The CIA and the Media reporting that the CIA had covertly infiltrated Americas most influential news outlets and had over 400 reporters who it considered assets in a program known as Operation Mockingbird. It was a major scandal, and rightly so. The news media is meant to report truthfully about what happens in the world, not manipulate public perception to suit the agendas of spooks and warmongers. Nowadays the CIA collaboration happens right out in the open, and people are too propagandized to even recognize this as scandalous. Immensely influential outlets like The New York Times uncritically pass on CIA disinfo which is then spun as fact by cable news pundits. The sole owner of The Washington Post is a CIA contractor, and WaPo has never once disclosed this conflict of interest when reporting on US intelligence agencies per standard journalistic protocol. Mass media outlets now openly employ intelligence agency veterans like John Brennan, James Clapper, Chuck Rosenberg, Michael Hayden, Frank Figliuzzi, Fran Townsend, Stephen Hall, Samantha Vinograd, Andrew McCabe, Josh Campbell, Asha Rangappa, Phil Mudd, James Gagliano, Jeremy Bash, Susan Hennessey, Ned Price and Rick Francona, as are known CIA assets like NBCs Ken Dilanian, as are CIA applicants like Tucker Carlson. This isnt Operation Mockingbird. Its so much worse. Operation Mockingbird was the CIA doing something to the media. What we are seeing now is the CIA openly acting as the media. Any separation between the CIA and the news media, indeed even any pretence of separation, has been dropped. This is bad. This is very, very bad. Democracy has no meaningful existence if peoples votes arent being cast with a clear understanding of whats happening in their nation and their world, and if their understanding is being shaped to suit the agendas of the very government theyre meant to be influencing with their votes, what you have is the most powerful military and economic force in the history of civilization with no accountability to the electorate whatsoever. Its just an immense globe-spanning power structure, doing whatever it wants to whoever it wants. A totalitarian dictatorship in disguise. And the CIA is the very worst institution that could possibly be spearheading the movements of that dictatorship. A little research into the many, many horrific things the CIA has done over the years will quickly show you that this is true; hell, just a glance at what the CIA was up to with the Phoenix Program in Vietnam will. Theres a common delusion in our society that depraved government agencies who are known to have done evil things in the past have simply stopped doing evil things for some reason. This belief is backed by zero evidence, and is contradicted by mountains of evidence to the contrary. Its believed because it is comfortable, and for literally no other reason. The CIA should not exist at all, let alone control the news media, much less the movements of the US empire. May we one day know a humanity that is entirely free from the rule of psychopaths, from our total planetary behavior as a collective, all the way down to the thoughts we think in our own heads. May we extract their horrible fingers from every aspect of our being. ____________________ New book: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. The best way to get around the internet censors and make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for at my website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking me on Facebook, following my antics on Twitter, or throwing some money into my tip jar on Ko-fi, Patreon or Paypal. If you want to read more you can buy my books. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what Im trying to do with this platform, click here. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish, use or translate any part of this work (or anything else Ive written) in any way they like free of charge. Bitcoin donations:1Ac7PCQXoQoLA9Sh8fhAgiU3PHA2EX5Zm2 Srinagar, April 16 : Speaking in support of a woman SPO (special police officer), whose services were terminated for allegedly glorifying terrorism, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Friday that the officer has been slapped with UAPA for raising legitimate questions. On Friday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested and terminated the services of a lady SPO for allegedly glorifying terrorism. "Saima Akhter from Kulgam has been slapped with UAPA for raising legitimate questions about searching her home repeatedly without any reasons," Mufti tweeted. "Saima's ailing mother understandably exacerbated her worries. When it comes to cruelty, even women aren't spared in Naya Kashmir," she added. The police had earlier said that the lady SPO was arrested from Kulgam district and her services were terminated for glorifying terrorism and obstructing government officials in the discharge of their duty. "On April 14, acting on a specific input regarding the presence of terrorists at Karewa Mohallah in Frisal village, a search operation was launched by the security forces in the area. During the search operation, the search party was obstructed by a lady identified as Saima Akther, the daughter of Ghulam Nabi Rah, a resident of Frisal," the police said. "The lady resisted the search party and turned violent, uttering statements glorifying violent actions of terrorists. She captured a video through her personal phone and uploaded it on social media platforms for dissemination with the intent of disrupting the search operation," the police added. Taking cognisance of the matter, the police arrested the woman and subsequently terminated her from service. Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-16 04:56:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias attend a joint press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on April 15, 2021. Turkey believes that its issues with Greece can be resolved through constructive dialogue between the two neighbors and allies, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Thursday. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) ANKARA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkey believes that its issues with Greece can be resolved through constructive dialogue between the two neighbors and allies, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Thursday. Fait accompli and provocative rhetoric should be avoided in relations between Turkey and Greece, Cavusoglu said at a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias. The visit of the Greek minister to Turkey's capital Ankara came after months of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean last year between the two neighbors. "We want to continue this dialogue without preconditions. As two neighbors, as allies, we want to develop our relations with Greece in every field. Today we discussed what we can do to improve relations in the coming period," Cavusoglu stated. The Turkish minister, however, emphasized that seeking solutions to bilateral problems through third parties is not the right approach. Dendias, for his part, agreed that the communications channels between the two countries should remain open. "Our primary goal is to establish peaceful coexistence based on international law," he stated. Greece and Turkey can create a positive agenda in the field of economy, the Greek minister noted. Enditem Liberty University sues Jerry Falwell Jr. for $10 million in damages Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Liberty University has filed a lawsuit against its former president and chancellor, Jerry Falwell Jr., seeking $10 million in damages over breach of contract and other allegations. The Virginia-based evangelical Christian school filed the suit against Falwell on Thursday in the Lynchburg Circuit Court, accusing the former school head of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and statutory conspiracy. The complaint alleges that Falwell created a well-resourced exit strategy from his role via a 2019 employment agreement while not telling Liberty officials about his personal scandals. Of specific note was the revelations last year about Falwells wife having an extramarital affair with a former pool boy named Giancarlo Granda, which eventually led to Falwell's resignation. Despite his clear duties as an executive and officer at Liberty, Falwell Jr. chose personal protection, stated the lawsuit, as reported by The Associated Press. [Falwell had a] fiduciary duty to disclose Grandas extortive actions, and to disclose the potential for serious harm to Liberty. [Falwell] furthered the conspiracy of silence and negotiated a 2019 Employment Agreement that contained a higher salary from Liberty. Last August, Falwell resigned from his position as president and chancellor of Liberty University following the highly-publicized Granda scandal, and other controversies. After Falwell immediately resigned, Libertys Executive Committee announced that they were hiring a forensic firm to investigate all facets of Liberty University operations during Jerry Falwell Jr.s tenure as president, including but not limited to financial, real estate, and legal matters. Later in 2020, Falwell filed a lawsuit against Liberty, claiming that the school had harmed his reputation by jumping to conclusions about the claims made against my character. But last December, Falwell dropped the suit, stating that he was going to take a time out from my litigation against Liberty University," but assured he would continue to keep all options on the table for an appropriate resolution to the matter. News of Libertys legal complaint against Falwell comes not long after Falwells son, Trey, was removed from his position as vice president of support services at Liberty. Liberty spokesperson Scott Lamb told Politico earlier this week that Jerry Falwell III, also known as Trey, was no longer employed by the university. However, Lamb declined to tell Politico about the reasons for Treys removal and if Falwells son, Wesley, or his daughter-in-law were still employed with the university. Six thousand caregiver applications will be prioritized by the end of 2021; 1,500 by June 30, 2021 OTTAWA, ON, April 15, 2021 /CNW/ - Caregivers from abroad play an important role in supporting Canadian families who are unable to find the care they need for a family member in Canada. The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused great disruption to life in Canada and around the world, including to application processing at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). We recognize that many caregivers working in Canada are waiting anxiously to be reunited with their loved ones, and they need their applications to be processed for that to happen. That is why IRCC is working to overcome the pandemic-related roadblocks that have interfered with processing applications from caregivers and their families by announcing a processing plan for 2021. As part of this plan, IRCC will finalize permanent residence applications for up to 6,000 caregivers who have completed their in- Canada work experience and their immediate family members, by December 31, 2021 work experience and their immediate family members, by make at least 1,500 first-stage decisions on applications for the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots by June 30, 2021 Prioritization of these decisions will allow more caregiver work permits to be issued for those who have valid job offers to work for families in Canada . . increase the digitization of caregiver applications ensure applicants receive acknowledgement of receipt letters by May 31, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges for application processing, particularly for paper-based applications. With reduced capacity and office closures resulting in more employees working remotely, in 2020 IRCC only entered as many mailed-in applications as was possible into our case management system. As a result, a new public policy is being issued so that IRCC can process applications in 2021 that were received in 2020. The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots were launched in 2019. They feature a clear transition for caregivers from temporary to permanent status, as well as occupation-specific, rather than employer-specific, work permits. They also provide the opportunity for caregivers and their families to move to Canada as they gain work experience. The response to these pilots suggests these features are attractive to caregivers and the Canadian families who need in-home care for a family member. Quote "The pandemic disrupted people's lives in Canada and around the world, and Canada's immigration processes were no exception. Immigrant caregivers, who take care of our families and elders, are often separated from their own families, and the pandemic has significantly slowed down permanent residence application processing, keeping them apart from their families longer than we would have hoped. With today's announcement, we're getting caregiver immigration back on track which will help reunite front-line heroes with their loved ones." The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Quick facts: The new public policy will take effect on May 3, 2021 . Applicants to the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots in 2020 will not need to reapply. . Applicants to the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots in 2020 will not need to reapply. As of March 3, 2021 , there were applications for about 12,000 caregivers and their accompanying family members in the processing inventory. This includes applications to both the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots, but also cases that we continue to finalize from caregiver programs of the past. , there were applications for about 12,000 caregivers and their accompanying family members in the processing inventory. This includes applications to both the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots, but also cases that we continue to finalize from caregiver programs of the past. As of April 8, 2021 , an estimated 2,367 applications have been received for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot, representing about 86% of the number of applications that can be accepted for 2021. For the Home Support Worker Pilot, an estimated 516 applications have been received, representing about 19% of the number of applications that can be accepted in 2021. , an estimated 2,367 applications have been received for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot, representing about 86% of the number of applications that can be accepted for 2021. For the Home Support Worker Pilot, an estimated 516 applications have been received, representing about 19% of the number of applications that can be accepted in 2021. Nearly 2,900 caregivers and their family members became permanent residents in 2020. Caregivers who are already in Canada could also have the opportunity to apply for permanent residence through the recently announced creation of a permanent residence pathway for essential workers. Associated links: Follow us: SOURCE Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada For further information: Contacts for media only: Alex Cohen, Minister's Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-954-1064; Media Relations, Communications Branch, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-952-1650, [email protected] Related Links http://www.cic.gc.ca One man was killed and 3 people were injured in a four-vehicle crash Thursday in Colbert County. Craig Bonney, 55, of Fulton, Miss., was killed when the 1999 Dodge Ram he was driving struck a 2021 Freightliner head-on about 2:36 p.m. Thursday, according to Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Bonney was attempting to pass two other vehicles in a no-passing zone on a hillside, troopers said. The impact caused the Freightliner to cross the centerline and hit a 2018 Chevrolet Impala driven by William Brown, 55, of Five Points, Tenn. A 2006 Dodge 3500 driven by Christopher Thompson, 55, of Sheffield sustained minor damage from the debris in the roadway, troopers said. A passenger in Bonneys vehicle suffered severe injuries and was transported to North Alabama Medical Center in Florence. The driver of the Freightliner, Jocklyn Smith, 33, of Memphis was transported to Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield with minor injuries. Brown was transported by air to a Huntsville hospital for treatment. The crash occurred on Alabama 247 at mile marker 19, about 11 miles west of Tuscumbia. The crash remains under investigation. Assam: The struggles of a river people by Nimisha Thakur April 16,2021 | Source: SAPIENS One night when we were making dinner, I asked Jeuti (a pseudonym), What is the meaning of the word Mising? As we smoked fish over a fire, the light flickered across the cane walls of her home. Mising means man (mi) of the water (asi), Jeuti replied as she blew into the fire. She held her saador, a shawl-like garment, away from the flames. Stray hairs flew from the middle-aged womans tightly coiled bun. Jeuti, her immediate family, and her extended kin live in a house built on bamboo stilts (a saang ghor, in Assamese) on a char, a semi-stable river island, on the Brahmaputra River in the Northeast state of Assam in India. They are part of the Mising community, which identifies itself as Indigenous (bhumiputra) and tribal (janajati). Historically, the Mising, a community of around 700,000 people, have inhabited areas close to the Brahmaputra, earning them the label of river people by those who live on the mainland. Outsiders see the river as an unpredictable forceone that constantly brings in silt, disrupting the lives of the people who make their homes near it. The Mising, accordingly, are often portrayed by outsiders as people isolated from the rest of civilization, living temporary, fluid existences. The Mising people I met when I first came to this area a few years ago, such as Jeuti, also used the term river people to describe their community. But to them, it meant something different. It pointed to how the river had guided their communitys migrations over the centuries and remained integral to their identities. The Mising have adopted some religious and lifestyle practices of the majority Assamese Hindu population over the centuries since their waves of migration from the eastern Himalayan mountains to the plains of the Brahmaputra River Valley around the 13th or 14th century. However, in many ways the Mising remain rooted in distinct ways of life connected to other cultural groups living along the Brahmaputra River in the hilly regions of the adjacent Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the mountains of Tibet. Since the 1950s, the Mising have been fighting for political recognition, land allocations, and cultural and linguistic freedom as part of a broader tribal autonomy movement in Assam. The Mising involved in this movement assert that their belonging in Assam has connections to cultures and regions woven together by the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries, which cut across contemporary postcolonial state boundaries in India. The Misings way of life and identity increasingly face threats from several directions: conservative political movements led by Hindu nationalists who attempt to categorize them as either Hindu or tribal, the destructive effects of climate change, and state-led development projects such as dams that disrupt the rivers flow while generating energy for people outside of the community. When I started conducting research for my doctorate in anthropology in the char region, I came to realize that if I wanted to understand what it meant to be Mising, then I needed to understand what the river meant to this community. The state of Assam, where Jeutis family lives, has a population of about 36 million people. In the 2011 census, 62 percent of the population was counted as Hindu, 34 percent as Muslim, 4 percent as Christian, and less than 1 percent as Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, and other religions. About 12 percent of the population in Assam are also members of Scheduled Tribes, the term used in the Constitution of India to demarcate tribal communities and accord them socioeconomic protections in employment and education, similar to affirmative action measures elsewhere. The question of who counts as tribal and/or Indigenousand who deserves the rights of citizenshiphas long been a contentious one in India, where diverse linguistic, religious, and cultural traditions reflect complicated histories of migration, colonization, and displacement. In many parts of the world, European colonial categorizations of Natives and tribes coded Indigenous communities as being biologically and socioeconomically inferior to colonizers. In India, British colonizers often built on precolonial Hindu caste hierarchies and assumed tribal populations to be isolated groups living in primitive conditions. Moreover, British colonial administrators understood tribes through imperial race science, a pseudoscientific set of beliefs that justified racial hierarchies and mapped race categories onto peoples physical attributes and geographic locations. In Assam, these distinctions were based on specific facial traits that communities in what is now Northeast India were seen to share with neighboring Asian countries such as China and Tibet. These categorizations also distinguished between the plains tribes that lived in the flat, lowland areas of the Brahmaputra River Valley and the hill tribes that lived higher up in the mountains. As a result, several migratory communities in Assam were forced to identify as either plains or hill tribes. In reality, they often claimed belonging to both of those landscapes. With the 19th-century discovery that the Brahmaputra River Valleys soil fertility was suitable for tea cultivation, colonial administrators made further distinctions between plains and hill tribes. Plains communities were put to work managing and providing labor to lucrative tea plantations and other agricultural ventures, while hill communities were seen as less economically significant. In 1944, British colonial administrator Robert Reid summed up these assumptions about tribal differences in Assam, writing of hill communities: Neither racially, historically, culturally, nor linguistically have they any affinity with the people of the plains or with the people of India proper. These invented distinctions were further solidified in the decades following independence in 1947, when states in Northeast India were carved out without regard to the multiple identities that mattered to communities who identified as tribal and/or Indigenous. This history has shaped the Mising deeply. Though they are today categorized as a Scheduled Tribe of Assam and often seen by outsiders as a plains community, in their lived experiences, Mising peoples understandings of tribe and Indigenousness cross this binary of hills and plainslike the river itself. In doing so, the Mising emphasize cultural and religious similarities with present-day tribal communities in the hills of Arunachal Pradesh while asserting their need for tribal autonomy in Assam. In recent years, with Hindu nationalism gaining ground in national and local politics in India, questions over citizenship and belonging have grown more contentious. Thats because Hindu nationalists tend to equate being Indigenous to India with being part of the Hindu religious majority. This simplistic framing excludes many other groups in Indias pluralistic society, including the Mising, who make claims of Indigenousness based on different place-based notions of belonging. The long history of marginalization faced by the Mising and other peoples in the Northeast has come to the forefront again recently because of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was passed in 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government. The amendment provides all individuals from minority religious communities in Muslim-majority countries the right to claim citizenship in India except for Muslim migrants, a move that is in line with Hindu nationalist thinking. To be Mising is to be made and unmade by the river. After the CAA was passed, protests erupted across India. Protestors challenged the way the act framed India as a Hindu homelandparticularly the assumption that citizenship should be grounded on religion. Although the CAA did not specifically target the Mising, community members are apprehensive that the act signals a political trend toward increasing Hinduization. And tribal communities also know that their marginalization by the Indian state goes beyond religion and extends to historical constructions of tribes as racial Others. The Mising community does receive some government protections; it is already listed as a Scheduled Tribe and has a Mising Autonomous Council. But the Mising have been unsuccessful so far in receiving the more protective Sixth Schedule statusa constitutional provision that helps tribal communities access resources while ensuring protections for their distinctive cultural practices. Mising community members worry that their increasingly difficult lives on the chars and their demands for Sixth Schedule status will continue to be overlooked by the state. Although I grew up in Assam, the everyday uncertainties faced by the Mising people living on the chars were far from my own childhood, most of which I spent living in a boarding school in Southern India. Unlike Jeutis family, my upper-caste Hindu family remained at a safe distance from the fluctuations of the Brahmaputra River. (The news of flooding in Assam was seldom even covered by national media outlets, though I sometimes received reports during monthly calls from my parents.) My close encounters with the river began when I started fieldwork. I lived in Jeutis home, which she shared with her husband (a former headmaster at the local school), one of her adult daughters, and her eldest sons family. After returning from working in the fields at the rivers edge, Jeutis extended family members would gather at her house to talk, eat smoked meat, and drink apong, a beverage made from fermented rice. From these conversations, I started to understand that to be Mising is to be made and unmade by the river. The chars where Jeutis family live form in areas where the rivers channel decreases in width; the silt from floodwaters accumulates in these spots, forming heavy deposits of sediments. During the monsoon months of June and July, some of these chars become submerged while others emerge anew. These cyclical patternsmade more unpredictable due to climate changedetermine everyday life and food availability in this agricultural community. Often, communities have to migrate seasonally when the monsoon floodwaters wash away their chars. Jeutis char is relatively permanent and located in the Lakhimpur District. It was formed from silt carried by the floodwaters of the Subansiri River, a northern bank tributary of the Brahmaputra. The community has a population of around 1,400 people, according to the last census in 2011. People from this community often travel to adjacent towns for work, to buy groceries, or to meet other family members. When flooding is at its peak, they have to travel about 10 kilometers by foot, then take a ferry for about two hours one way to reach the nearest town. When the floodwaters arrive, homes on the chars can be swept away entirely. In recent years, projects to engineer the Brahmaputra and its tributaries in the Greater Himalayan region for development purposes have further intensified the risks of flooding. Since the early 2000s, Mising and other riverine communities have been protesting the construction of the Lower Subansiri hydropower project, which they claim could increase flash flooding and further disrupt downstream areas in the region of Lakhimpur. Recently, author Juwel Pegu, a member of the Mising literary association called the Mising Agom Kebang, expressed to me why the struggles faced by Mising people today are different from those faced in the past: We always lived by the river and felt the floods. But it also gave us food and a life that could sustain the crops our ancestors grew. Now the river gives less and less, floods more, has more sand deposits that bury crops. Plants have disappeared. Pigs, hens, and ducks have become difficult to rear. He continued: Moreover, with rising government initiatives that tell us to follow North Indian ideas of Hinduism that we cannot relate to, our culture is at risk. Interwoven into the Misings story of cultural resilience is a story of environmental change. Many of these changes have been driven by state-led interventions to shape the river and the lives intertwined with it. These state interventions rarely align with the desires and assertions of local communities. The Mising community members I know agree that whats needed is a systematic governmental and legislative plan that grants their community the autonomy and resources to thrive in precarious river environments. This would mean acknowledging how the Mising themselves define tribe, Indigenousness, and belongingnot as constrictive categories but as things that shift and change with the rivers flows. Power of Oscars keeps Romanian 'Collective' tragedy in people's minds, says director Journalists Mirela Neag (L) and Catalin Tolontan are seen in a still (Photo : Magnolia Pictures/Handout via REUTERS) Romanian director Alexander Nanau says a double Oscar nomination for his documentary "Collective" means a tragic 2015 nightclub fire and subsequent healthcare scandal at the heart of the film "will not be forgotten". Sixty-five people died after fireworks used during a concert at The Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest ignited non-fireproofed insulation foam, triggering a stampede. Advertisement The film follows journalist Catalin Tolontan, whose investigations revealed badly burned victims who were taken to hospital and treated in improper conditions, with inadequate cleaning products linked to many of their deaths. Many of the survivors contracted infections in hospital which are still affecting their recovery. The fire sparked nationwide protests against corruption and lack of accountability in Romania, which has one of the European Union's least developed healthcare systems. The Colectiv club owners and local officials were put on trial, while Tolontan's investigations also led to a more general case about the use of diluted disinfectants in Romanian hospitals. Both trials resulted in prison sentences being handed out in 2019 but they were not final and have been appealed. "For us it was most of all a satisfaction to know that the story will not be forgotten because the Oscars really bring an attention to the film that is unprecedented, basically for any film that gets nominated," Nanau told Reuters. "Collective" is in the running for best international feature film and best documentary feature at the Oscars. Nanau said one grieving father had posted a letter to his deceased son on social media on the day the nominations were revealed. "We couldn't find the ways to help you back then, but at least we are happy now that this story will not be forgotten and most of all, that other people can learn from what we went through," Nanau said, quoting the letter. "Hopefully all we want for other people is not to go through the same things and understand how power works, how manipulation works." Nanau said he planned to travel to Los Angeles for the April 25 ceremony. "We are in constant contact with the production team ... The whole ceremony will be treated as a film set ... and I think that should make it safe, it should be fine." * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! ADVERTISEMENT Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arrested a music producer, Imeh Nyong, for alleged internet fraud in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. His arrest comes a day after popular Nigerian rapper, CDQ was arrested by the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after loud, a cannabis variant was found in his possession. According to NDLEAs Director, Media, and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the rapper was arrested and later granted bail. Mr Nyong, on the other hand was arrested alongside Benjamin Ikpeme, Godwin Isong, Magnus Chimaobi and Victor Usun. The suspects, whose ages range between 22 and 25 years, were arrested in an early morning raid at two locations in the state. The EFCC in a statement said they were arrested based on credible intelligence on their alleged involvement in cybercrime. While Mr Nwele was arrested at 23 Calabar Itu Road by Urua Ikpa junction, Mr Nyong and the other three were nabbed at 25 Faith Road, Off Ikot Ekpene Road, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Items recovered from them include: one black Lexus E350, an Hp laptop, a Canon 16 Tecno Phone, a Dell laptop and a Samsung S7. Other recovered items include a Toshiba laptop, an Itell phone, a Samsung S8+, car documents and an International Passport. The anti-graft agency said they will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded. The pandemic has exposed troubling inequities in the United States that have left Black and Hispanic people at higher risk of dying from COVID-19and getting a smaller share of vaccines. Now, a renewed focus on health inequities has sparked hope among health advocates for a structural change that has been a long time coming: more diversity in clinical trials. Back in 1994, the National Institutes of Health released guidelines for including women and minorities in clinical studies. Women now make up roughly half of study participants in NIH-funded clinical trials, but people from historically excluded racial and ethnic groups still lack representation. Experts say the recent racial and social justice movement has strengthened the conversation about the root causes of health disparities and lasting solutionsincluding clinical trial participation. Because clinical trials drive scientific evidence used to improve people's health, it's critical they include participants of all races and ethnicities, said April P. Carson, an associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Public Health. "Now, I think more people are willing to explicitly name structural racism and recognize both its historical impact and present-day effects on clinical trials and scientific research." Last November, Carson co-authored an American Heart Association presidential advisory that called structural racism a primary cause of persistent health disparities in the U.S. The advisory urged diversity in clinical trial recruitment and said the AHA would fund more investigators from historically marginalized groups. That same month, the Food and Drug Administration and the pharmaceutical industry trade group PhRMA separately announced guidance for how to boost enrollment of underrepresented groups in clinical studies. The FDA, for example, recommended holding recruitment events at trusted locations such as community centers and social venues like barbershops, while PhRMA urged companies to hold clinical trials in areas where people from previously excluded racial and ethnic groups actually live. A study last month in JAMA Network Open found Black people made up fewer than 3% of participants in pivotal research that led to the approval of 24 cardiovascular drugs over the past 15 years. White people made up 83%. "If we don't have adequate representation in clinical trials, we won't know how the intervention being investigated may work differently in certain subgroups of people," Carson said. "For example, a particular group may have difficulty following the intervention or experience side effects, and we would not know that unless there's representation from different racial and ethnic groups." It starts with the scientific team, she said. "Science is driven by scientists and it's their perspectives that determine the science that is being done." Investigators from diverse communities are needed for their expertise and to expand research into areas like discrimination and health care access to "shape the types of research questions that are being asked," Carson said. Getting people from diverse backgrounds to enroll in clinical trials has its own barriers, experts say. One strategy is to reach people through non-traditional channels, such as social media and partnerships with community organizations. In New Haven, Connecticut, the Yale Cultural Ambassador Program started 12 years ago to increase minority participation in Yale School of Medicine's clinical research. The program partners with local Black churches and community organizations like Junta for Progressive Action, a nonprofit serving the Latino community. The cultural ambassadors participate in educational events, assist Yale researchers in creating recruitment plans for specific trials, and provide Spanish translation services. "What we have learned from working with the ambassadors is that it's so much more than addressing trust," said the program's creator Tesheia H. Johnson, deputy director and chief operations officer for the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation. "It's knowing that there's a community voice at the table, and at the end of the day, we end up with a better designed study and program because we're also thinking about things like access and equity." The program now has 25 ambassadors. Many have received community health worker certification training and research training. Since the program's inception, enrollment across all populations has increased in Yale's clinical research, Johnson said. For underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, participation increased from 2%-4% to about 31% last year. Those groups made up as many as 90% of participants in some trials, she said. Rev. Elvin Clayton, pastor of Walters Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has been an ambassador for more than 11 years. "Trust was an issue and rightly so," he said. "But whatever the goals, challenges and barriers are, we see that things are getting better because of the education that's being put forth." Now, they don't always have to look too hard to find takers for new research. "People are coming to us asking us about certain trials," Clayton said. "We're not where we need to be yet, but we have come a long way." For those wanting to participate in clinical trials or other research studies, Carson suggests the National Institutes of Health's ClinicalTrials.gov, where all trials are required to register, and ResearchMatch.org, a site run by Vanderbilt University Medical Center that matches individuals with researchers or institutions. People also can check local medical center websites. Johnson said she hopes the health equity momentum gained during the pandemic carries into tackling diabetes, heart disease and other conditions that disproportionately impact people from different races and ethnicities. And that it continues to shine a light on the need to include those same people who have been historically excluded from clinical trials. Explore further Globalization of cancer clinical trials linked to lower enrollment of Black patients Copyright 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved. President Biden made his most dramatic policy reversal to date on Fridayone as baffling as it was harmfulthen quickly attempted to reverse that reversal. The administration announced that Biden will be keeping the limit on refugees admitted to the United States this fiscal year to 15,000, the number set by the Trump administration as part of its aggressive anti-immigrant policies and the lowest cap since the current resettlement system was instituted forty years ago. After a day of outcry, the White House then announced it would be increasing the number, by some unspecified amount, in the future. Advertisement As a presidential candidate, Joe Biden called Trumps refugee policies cruel and shortsighted and pledged to raise the annual cap to 125,000 as well as work with Congress to create a minimum admissions number of at least 95,000 refugees annually. In early February, the State Department notified Congress of its plan to raise the cap for this fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30, to 62,500. By next year, Biden said he planned to reach the 125,000 number and issued an executive order to rebuild and expand the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in order to meet that goal. Advertisement Advertisement Then for months, the administration dithered, as NGOs and advocates in Congress waited impatiently for Biden to issue a presidential determination that would make the 62,500 number official. In the meantime, hundreds of refugees around the world who had expected to enter the U.S. this year under the new cap had their flights canceled. Advertisement Finally, today, the determination was issued, leaving Trumps number in place. Later Friday afternoon, after the announcement had come in for widespread criticism from many of the presidents supporters, the White House appeared to walk that back a little bit, saying that a final refugee cap for the year would be set on May 15, seven and a half months into the fiscal year, but Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted that it was unlikely to be as high as the original 62,500 number. The White House did not respond to my request for clarity on why a cap for the year could not be set today. The official explanation for keeping the Trump number is that Trump had left the system in such a mess that the goal was just impossible. It was even more decimated than wed thought, requiring a major overhaul in order to build back toward the numbers to which weve committed, one official told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement According to an official who spoke with the New York Times, the administration grew concerned that the surge of border crossings by unaccompanied minors was too much and had already overwhelmed the refugee branch of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Times article notes that this explanation doesnt make sense, as the migrants are processed through an entirely different system. Even if the 62,500 target turned out to be too logistically difficult to pull off this year, that doesnt explain why they couldnt announce any improvement on the Trump number, notes Eric Schwartz, president of Refugees International and former assistant secretary of State for population, refugees, and migration during the Obama administration. The argument that logistical and capacity issues forced the administration to 15,000 is nonsense. Its just not defensible, he told me on Friday afternoon, after the presidents determination was released, but before the May 15 update was promised. He didnt have to meet his commitment to 62,500 to do better than the prior administration. Obviously, a political judgment was made and its a really unfortunate one. Advertisement What was that political judgment? A Washington Post article from earlier this week suggested that while the situation at the border and the refugee resettlement program are different issues in terms of bureaucracy, some in Bidens orbit believe that nuance is lost on the public, particularly with conservative critics eager to portray Biden as soft on immigration. Advertisement By May 15, the administration is likely to come up with a Goldilocks number that they feel improves on Trump but minimizes Republican criticism. And its possible they could get more ambitious in the coming years, but if its true that administration is so spooked by the potential backlash that its taking this long to even muster a small symbolic increase over the Trump administrations limit, its a little hard to believe theyre going to get anywhere near 125,000, which would be the highest cap since 1993. Its not as if the prevailing politics around immigration issues are likely to get any easier. This is grim news not just for the thousands of refugees who might have had a chance to start new lives in the U.S. this year and now wont, but for millions of other around the world, displaced by conflict and persecution. If even an administration that came into office on a platform of repudiating its predecessors nativism wont take a stand on this issue, who will? The goal of government should be to get everyone back to work as soon as possible while continuing to provide economic support to workers who have not gone back to work yet, Ganong said. Those two things were not in tension in 2020, and they are in tension in 2021. All of those things that made 2020 special are receding, so we now face a more traditional set of trade-offs. A former Arcola police officer charged in federal court with sexually assaulting two women after traffic stops has lost a bid to be released from custody before trial. A judge ruled that he poses a danger to the community. Hector Aaron Ruizs lawyers told a federal judge last week that he had been a model detainee and complied with all rules when he was free on bond with an ankle monitor in a related state case. Hed been volunteering at a nearby Buddhist temple and caring for his children during that time, they said. U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge noted in his ruling Thursday that Ruiz, 25, faces the real possibility of life in prison if convicted. The two women he is accused of assaulting live close to where the defendant planned to reside with his parents, wife and kids. The judge wrote that Ruiz merits custody because hes accused of subjecting both victims to violence while carrying a gun. The judge weighed his recent good conduct, but said the government has strong evidence pointing to his guilt. His attorney, Javier O. Martinez, said the defense respects but disagrees with the judges ruling. Our team will continue to build a strong defense against these allegations, Martinez said. Hector will continue to fight these charges so that he can return to his family who has provided unwavering support from the very beginning. Ruiz was originally charged in state court with sexual assault and official oppression based on two incidents in 2019 while he worked for the Arcola Police Department. He was out on bond before being arrested last November in the federal case. The ex-officer is accused of aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping while working as a police officer, and then falsifying dashboard camera video and body microphone recordings in an effort to impede the investigation of his actions. He also faces two counts of carrying and using a Glock 17 pistol during a crime of violence. During one traffic stop in November 2019, police allege, Ruiz pressured a woman to engage in oral sex after pulling her over for speeding, driving while intoxicated and evading arrest. During another traffic stop, in August 2019, a man was arrested for drunken driving and Ruiz gave the man's girlfriend and her 8-year-old son a ride home. At the home, Ruiz allegedly sexually assaulted the woman. An Arcola police supervisor told officials from the Texas Rangers that when he got into Ruiz car after one incident, it appeared the microphone had been turned off several times, according to testimony. A special agent for FBI Houston told the federal magistrate at a November 2020 detention hearing he could not hear portions of the audio during the traffic stop. The agent testified that during the August 2019 stop, Ruiz threatened the suspects girlfriend, saying she could be arrested and her son could be placed in the custody of Child Protective Services because she allowed him into a car with a drunk driver. Ruiz told authorities that the woman he stopped in November 2019 had bribed him not to take her to jail by offering to engage in oral sex. Ruiz said he participated in another sexual act with that woman, but that hed sought the womans consent, the agent testified. Police found DNA evidence on the womans pants that matched Ruiz as a possible source. She was afraid, the agent said. gabrielle.banks@chron.com Hilton, N.Y. An elementary school principal in Monroe County accused of sexually abusing nine students during school hours pleaded not guilty Wednesday night, according to New York State police. Kirk Ashton, the principal at Northwood Elementary School in Hilton since 2004, was accused of sexually abusing nine male students between the ages of eight and 12 over the last four years, according to The Democrat & Chronicle. Ashton was charged with six counts of first-degree sexual abuse and five counts of second-degree course of sexual conduct, each felonies, and nine counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, according to the state police and the newspaper. Ashton was arraigned at the Greece Town Court, police said. He was held at the Monroe County Jail on $500,000 cash or $1 million bond, the newspaper reported. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 20. Troopers were made aware of the allegations of abuse on March 26, when a call was made to the states child abuse hotline, the newspaper reported. Ashtons last contact with students was on March 26, the last day of school before spring break, according to state police and the newspaper. Orders of protection were issued for eight of the nine students accusing Ashton, the newspaper reported. The mother of the ninth alleged victim declined an order to protect her sons anonymity, the newspaper reported. Ashton and his wife Elizabeth Bridget Ashton, the superintendent at Honeoye Central School District in Ontario County, live in Rush and have three adult children, the newspaper reported. Hilton is a village of fewer than 6,000 people about 20 miles northwest of Rochester. Staff writer James McClendon covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach him at 914-204-2815 or jmcclendon@syracuse.com. BEIJING, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from investinchina.chinadaily.com.cn: The world's second-largest economy grew by 2.3 percent in 2020, and it is likely to be the only major economy to have achieved annual growth, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Breaking through the 11 trillion yuan ($1.71 trillion) threshold, Guangdong has retained its place as the province with the highest GDP in China for 32 years in a row. This figure exceeds the GDP of more than 90 percent of the world's countries. It is close to that of South Korea and equal to the sum of the GDPs of Switzerland, Singapore, Argentina and Ukraine. Jiangsu comes in second place after south China's Guangdong, with a GDP surpassing 10 trillion yuan. The per capita GDP in Jiangsu reached 125,000 yuan ($19,230) last year, ranking first among all provincial-level regions in China. In terms of city clusters, the Yangtze River Delta again assumed the leading position. In 2020, the total economic output of one city and three provinces in the Yangtze River Delta was 24.47 trillion yuan, accounting for 24.1 percent of the national total, contributing nearly a quarter of the country's economic output. In 2020, a total of 20 provinces outperformed the national economic growth rate of 2.3 percent. These 20 provinces were Tibet, Xinjiang, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hebei, Chongqing, Gansu, Ningxia, Sichuan, Guangxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Hainan, Fujian, Anhui, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shanxi and Jilin. Let's take a look at the top 10 provincial regions with the strongest GDPs in 2020. 10. Shanghai GDP: 3.87 trillion yuan Growth rate: 1.7% Although hampered by COVID-19 and a global economic recession, Shanghai overcame these difficulties and took concrete measures to push its economy back on track from a 6.7 percent fall in the first quarter. Shanghai expects GDP growth of more than 6 percent this year and will keep its urban unemployment rate at no more than 5 percent. 9. Hunan GDP: 4.17 trillion yuan Growth rate: 3.8% With a complete industrial system, Hunan province has 10 advantageous industrial clusters, including engineering machinery, electronic information, new materials, petrochemical engineering, and automobiles and auto parts, as well as lead and zinc cemented carbide and its deep processing. 8. Hubei GDP: 4.34 trillion yuan Growth rate: -5% Since the lifting of the epidemic-induced lockdown in Wuhan on April 8, the economic recovery of its parent province has been better than expected. Hubei province's GDP growth increased from -39.2 percent in the first quarter of the year to -19.3 percent in the first half of the year, and -10.4 percent in the first nine months. Despite the short-term slowdown due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Hubei's economic recovery has been solid. 7. Fujian GDP: 4.39 trillion yuan Growth rate: 3.3% A coastal province in the southeastern part of the country, Fujian has seen rapid development over the past five years. It is actively promoting an open economy of higher standards amid the country's ongoing reform and opening-up. It is also stepping up its overseas investment, as it endeavors to seek further involvement in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 6. Sichuan GDP: 4.85 trillion yuan Growth rate: 3.8% Historically known as the "Province of Abundance", Sichuan has one of the largest economies in western China. The province has been accelerating its industrial transformation and upgrading, developing five pillar industrieselectronic information, equipment manufacturing, food and beverages, advanced materials and energy, and chemicals and promoting the integrated development of the digital economy and the real economy. 5. Henan GDP: 5.49 trillion yuan Growth rate: 1.3% Henan's economic volume has ranked first among those of the provinces and regions in the central and western region and among the top five in China for several consecutive years. As an economic heavyweight with many advantages, it is a good destination for foreign investors. 4. Zhejiang GDP: 6.46 trillion yuan Growth rate: 3.6% Since the reform and opening-up drive four decades ago, Zhejiang has embarked on a fast track of economic growth. Its GDP jumped to 6.46 trillion yuan in 2020, and has ranked fourth in China for 23 consecutive years. Over the years, its private economy has achieved leapfrog growth in scale and strength, nurturing a great number of successful enterprises. 3. Shandong GDP: 7.31 trillion yuan Growth rate: 3.6% Shandong is predominant in agriculture, and is renowned as "China's most outstanding agricultural province". This is due to the value it places on its agriculture, as well as its outstanding agricultural output of vegetables, fruit, meat and aquatic products. Shandong is also a major producer and supplier of petroleum, coal and nonferrous metal. It has the most gold reserves and output as well as abundant sea salt and a diverse array of coastal bird species. 2. Jiangsu GDP: 10.27 trillion yuan Growth rate: 3.7% Jiangsu plays a key role in the nation's economic and social development. As a promising region, Jiangsu is characterized by a strong economy, wealthy people, beautiful environment and a high degree of social civilization in this new development period. 1. Guangdong GDP: 11.07 trillion yuan Growth rate: 2.3% Guangdong is one of the frontiers of China's reform and opening-up policy. It is one of the most attractive places for investors, with a great deal of market vigor. It is also the fastest economically developing province in China with the most advanced business and trade. SOURCE China Daily.com.cn The sixth event of the 2021 GG Spring Festival with a price tag of $25,500 has determined a champion. After a fierce heads-up battle that lasted almost one hour, it was Ronny Kaiser who overcame Mikita Badziakouski in Event H-57: $25,500 Super High Roller. The tournament drew a total of 88 entries, consisting of 48 unique players and 40 re-entries. Only the top 13 finishers earned a portion of the $2,200,000 prize pool. Kaiser was among the last batch of re-entries before the late registration closed and survived the money bubble as one of the shorter stacks. He entered the nine-handed final table as joint shortest stack on 12 blinds but rode those to victory for a payday of $508,448. Runner-up Badziakouski had to settle for a consolation prize of $391,973 while Christian Rudolph finished in third place for $302,180 just one day after both held the same finishing positions in SCOOP-43-H: $25,000 NLHE [8-Max, Super High Roller]. Final Result GGSF Event H-57: $25,500 Super High Roller Place Winner Country Payout (in USD) 1 Ronny Kaiser Switzerland $508,448 2 Mikita Badziakouski Belarus $391,973 3 Christian Rudolph Austria $302,180 4 Nick Petrangelo United States $232,957 5 Artur Martirosian Russia $179,591 6 David Peters United States $138,451 7 "R_uida lin" Hong Kong $106,735 8 Sam Greenwood Canada $82,284 9 Pablo Brito Silva Brazil $63,434 Fifth place finisher Artur Martirosian fired five bullets to record a profit in the tournament, the most of any participant who made the money. Three of the final tablists only required a single entry including Nick Petrangelo, David Peters, and Pablo Silva Brito. Sami Kelopuro, winner of Event H-49: $25,500 Super High Roller just a few days ago, ended up as the bubble boy this time. The Action of the Day After their tussle in the $25,500 High Roller the previous day, Mikita Badziakouski and Christian Rudolph were in the thick of it again. At the end of the first level, Badziakouski doubled through Rudolph who busted shortly after. The second entry of Rudolph was not crowned by success either and he jumped back in at the last minute, which turned out to be a wise decision. Badziakouski also needed to buy back in before running up a stack and reaching the money without any major trouble. Many others weren't as fortunate. Mike Watson and Steve O'Dwyer were unable to carry over the momentum with big stacks during the re-entry period and they were joined on the rail by the likes of Wiktor Malinowski, Niklas Astedt, Adrian Mateos, Ami Barer, and Dario Sammartino. Down to the final two tables, Event H-23 runner-up Yuri Dzivielevski lost a flip to "R_uida lin" and soon after, the bubble burst with the elimination of Sami Kelopuro against Badziakouski. The hot run of the Belorussian was halted as he lost three all-in showdowns in a row and had to fork over two double-ups to Christian Rudolph. Nick Petrangelo held the lead ahead of David Peters when the final nine combined to one table. Pablo Brito Silva departed almost immediately while Ronny Kaiser scored an urgently needed double. The tides changed several times thereafter. Rudolph knocked out Peters, the always dangerous Artur Martirosian, and Petrangelo in quick succession to bring the event three-handed. Christian Rudolph However, the German poker pro was unable to outshine Badziakouski once more and dashed out two doubles to the Belorussian, one of which saw him open-jam jack-ten suited into aces. Badziakouski became Rudolph's nemesis once more and Kaiser was left with a mountain to climb in heads-up. The lead changed several times for more than 50 minutes until Kaiser prevailed in a duel of suited aces. That concludes the PokerNews coverage of the sixth $25,500 High Roller during the GG Spring Festival but further live updates from key events are just around the corner. All $25,500 High Rollers during the 2021 GGSF so far Cambodians rush to local markets to buy food and other supplies after news of a lockdown spreads, April 15, 2021. Residents of Phnom Penh rushed to stock up on food and other supplies on Thursday as word spread of a lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Hun Sen to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the capital and surrounding Kandal province, sources said. News of the planned April 15-28 lockdown, which leaked before an official announcement could be made, quickly drove up the prices of commodities as crowds filled local markets beginning Wednesday night, violating regulations restricting social contacts. In a statement Thursday, Hun Sen urged Cambodian citizens not to panic, saying no one will go short of food in areas affected by the lockdown order. You wont be worried if you understand about the lockdown, Hun Sen said. I would like to clarify that no one is going to starve, and that there will be no shortages of rice, salt, or other food in Phnom Penh, he said. Hun Sen added he would find and punish whoever had leaked word of the lockdown. Vorn Pov, president of Cambodias Independent Democratic Association of Informal Economy (IDEA) organization, said however that the lockdown ordered by Hun Sen will cause shortages of food, leaving people hungry. In this situation, the government must respond quickly to peoples needs. The government must try its best, he said. Workers forced to stay home under lockdown orders will now have to look to the government for help to survive, said Moeun Tola, executive director of the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL), speaking to RFA. Workers will need their salaries and benefits to continue during the lockdown so that they can remain at home. And the government will have to provide tax incentives and capital for any businesses that have to close, he said. Offerings to monks fall short Buddhist monks living in areas outside Phnom Penh meanwhile said that support for the countrys pagodas may now decline, leaving Cambodias monastic community short of donations of food after the New Year. Things will be difficult because no one will come to offer food, said Ngoeung Leng, a senior monk in Kandal province near the border with Vietnam. We will need to pay for our own food, but we dont have any income, he said. Mann Pheakdey, a monk living in Sihanoukville, said that support for his pagoda has already fallen off, with fewer people coming to make offerings after government authorities banned large gatherings. If this pandemic continues much longer, our monks will face food shortages and find it difficult to live, he said. Speaking to RFA, Seng Somonyspokesman for Cambodias Ministry of Cults and Religionssaid that pagodas facing food shortages can report their circumstances to provincial authorities, who will resolve the situation. 'Extraordinary measures' Responding on April 15 to a question from RFA, Rhona SmithSpecial Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia for the U.N.criticized harsh steps already taken in Cambodia to control the spread of COVID, including restrictions on the freedom of movement and the publishing of personal health information. I understand that the Royal Government of Cambodia is taking extraordinary measures and have been closely following ongoing efforts to control and suppress community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, Smith said. However, as the Special Rapporteur, my role requires me to also engage with the government by highlighting potential infringements of the international human rights norms and standards Cambodia has voluntarily accepted. I and the other Special Rapporteurs are concerned that some elements of the government response could unnecessarily infringe human rights standards, Smith said. To date, 5,218 Cambodians have been infected by COVID-19, with 3,000 receiving medical treatment in hospitals now accepting no new patients, and more than 1,000 others being treated at home, according to figures released by the Ministry of Health. Mao Ayuth, 77, Secretary of State for Cambodias Ministry of Information, this week became the 37th Cambodian to die of the disease, the Ministry of Health announced on April 15. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Richard Finney. 3 public sectors companies are being supported to increase the capacity of vaccine production As a part government's augmentation plan, capacities of Bharat Biotech Limited, Hyderabad as well as other public sector manufacturers are being upgraded with required infrastructure and technology. Financial support is being provided as grant from GoI to the tune of appx Rs 65 Cr to Bharat Biotechs new Bangalore facility which is being repurposed to increase the capacity of vaccine production. 3 public sectors companies are also being supported to increase the capacity of vaccine production. The Department of Science & Technology (DST), GoI, has granted approval to Haffkine Institute to produce Bharat Biotech's Covaxin vaccine on a transfer of technology basis. Last month Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in a video conference with the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had urged the centre to grant permission to Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine. Financial support as grant from GoI to the tune of appx Rs 65 Cr will be provided for this facility to be made ready for manufacturing.The Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals Ltd had asked for around 12 months to complete this task. However, the Central government has asked them to expedite and complete the task urgently within 6 months. The facility will have a capacity of 20 million dozes per month, once functional. Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), Hyderabad A facility under National Dairy Development Board and Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Limited (BIBCOL), Bulandshahr a CPSE under Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India will also be supported to prepare their facility to provide 10-15 million dozes per month by Aug - Sep 2021. Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Moon Seong-hyeok bows before presiding a meeting with those in the country's fishing industry at Government Complex Sejong, Friday, regarding the Japanese government's decision to release radioactive water into the sea earlier this week. Yonhap The government held a vice-ministerial interagency meeting on Friday to discuss measures to deal with Japan's plan to release a massive amount of radioactive water into the sea, including a push to take part in international verification, officials said. The meeting came as Seoul is considering taking concrete action after Tokyo said it will discharge over 1.2 million tons of contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, starting in 2023. President Moon Jae-in has ordered officials to consider taking the issue to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). On Thursday, a foreign ministry official said the government is intent on taking active part in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s efforts to verify the disposal process. Following a meeting of the board of directors, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA) has agreed that from 2022 it will welcome Nexen Tire Europe and the Czech Republic and Slovakia Tire Producers Associations as members. Following these additions, ETRMA will represent 15 international tire manufacturers and 11 national sector associations. The board also discussed its commitment to the EU policy objective of a European economic recovery geared to meet the ambitions of the Green Deal. The board also emphasized the importance of a regulatory framework to support the entire industry and its supply chain while continuing to cooperate with European institutions to deliver on EU priorities and create a more competitive industry within Europe. ') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> The European tire industry has been a global leader in tire performance, innovation and research, sustained by a unique regulatory framework, said Franco Annunziato, ETRMAs president. As we recently shared during our meeting with commissioner Thierry Breton, we have the ambition to contribute even further to increased climate change mitigation targets, tackling tire abrasion and continuing to improve road safety while contributing to an increasingly circular economy. Speaking of the new members, Fazilet Cinaralp, ETRMAs secretary general, said, Our critical mass is growing and together we can create strong synergies to work even more efficiently toward a safer and greener Europe. Promising Young Woman Verdict: Grimly comic revenge thriller Rating: The Year Earth Changed Verdict: Animal magic Rating: Promising Young Woman arrives on our screens today freshly anointed with a pair of BAFTAs, for Outstanding British Film and Best Original Screenplay. That's the kind of promotional thrust money can't buy. At least, we assume it can't. You may well be aware by now that the debutante writer-director is Emerald Fennell, who made an impact of a different kind with a charismatic performance as the confident young Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown. One of the producers is Margot Robbie, who played a victim of sexual harassment in the 2019 film Bombshell and was a beguiling Sharon Tate in the same year's Once Upon A Time . . . In Hollywood. Carey Mulligan stars as 'Cassandra' in director Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman It seems apt that the movie industry, which spawned the #MeToo movement, is benefiting from it in the form of some terrific films about predatory men, even if some of them are driven by agendas in the same unsubtle way that chariots in biblical epics were driven by Romans, so furiously that occasionally a wheel comes off. We meet Cassie moments after that opening sequence, lolling on a sofa, apparently blind drunk Promising Young Woman gets round this problem by presenting itself as a black comedy. The comedy is sometimes well-concealed, yet it's there if you look hard enough, from the very opening shot of male crotches pumping on the dance floor of an American nightclub. That's a view we are normally given of women. Plainly, Fennell is out to turn the tables. Her lead is Carey Mulligan, giving a performance that has bagged her a Best Actress nomination in the forthcoming Academy Awards. Mulligan plays Cassandra, whose namesake in Greek mythology led on the god Apollo, then withdrew her favours. In a 21st- century sense, that's also what happens here. We meet Cassie moments after that opening sequence, lolling on a sofa, apparently blind drunk. One of a group of men carousing at the bar sees her less as a woman who needs to be helped than as a sexual opportunity. Back they go to his place and all seems to be going to plan for him when Cassie suddenly, with a conspiratorial 'Fleabag' look directly into the camera, snaps out of her feigned stupor. She is on a mission, it transpires, to entrap predators who don't recognise the slurred protests of an inebriated woman as any reason to stop. But her missionary zeal is all-consuming. At 30 she works in a coffee shop, lives with her parents and has turned her back on medical school, where she was a glittering student. She is unhealthily obsessed, but why? Well, Fennell's screenplay drops only hints for the first third of the movie, so I won't issue any spoilers here. What I can say is that it comes as a relief to her, her parents, and indeed us, when Cassie starts going out with Ryan (Bo Burnham), a sweetly self-deprecating paediatric surgeon, who fancied her from afar at medical school. Might her relationship deflect her from her mission? Far from it, as it turns out, as in another nod to Greek mythology Ryan leads her to her Nemesis. Mulligan's performance has bagged her a Best Actress nomination in the forthcoming Academy Awards Carey Mulligan (front) starring as Cassie and Bo Burnham plasying the character of Ryan By now, the film has become a full-blown revenge thriller, although unlike 1987's Fatal Attraction, say, the unstable woman here has all the moral force. Maybe that's a reflection of how cinematic sensibilities have changed not so much in the past 34 years as just the past four. Whatever, there is almost a Western vibe as the story moves towards a surprising resolution, with Cassie targeting, one by one, all those she feels deserve punishment for past behaviour. Mulligan is splendid throughout, and anyone who also saw her as the ineffably English, genteel, grounded Edith Pretty in the recent Netflix film The Dig must surely applaud her impressive versatility. Actually, I thought both performances were worthy of BAFTA's Best Actress shortlist. Regrettably, she was overlooked entirely. But at least Fennell got her Best Original Screenplay gong for what is inarguably also a directorial debut of power and promise. From a promising young woman to an accomplished old man. Any new David Attenborough documentary should be a cause for celebration, but that is especially so in the case of The Year Earth Changed, which shows how, despite the blight on humanity caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the natural earth has benefited in myriad ways. There are fewer jaw-dropping images than in most wildlife documentaries narrated by the great man, probably because, by definition, this one has been rushed out. Nevertheless, it is hugely uplifting to be presented with conclusive evidence, over and over again, of animals prospering while human beings languished in lockdown. In the ocean off Alaska, for example, humpback whales are literally able to hear each other speak, now there is no disruptive cruise traffic. One researcher offers a pleasing human analogy: that it's much easier to communicate in a quiet coffee shop than in a crowded bar. In the ocean off Alaska, for example, humpback whales are literally able to hear each other speak, now there is no disruptive cruise traffic A leopard prowls close to civilisation Well, the whales have at last got their chance in the coffee shop. And the film, directed by Tom Beard, shows us delightful footage of a humpback mother leaving her calf while she goes to feed, on the basis that if it needs her, she will hear it call. Before, she would never have been able to leave its side. Of course, the question is whether we can learn from all this and ensure that the benefits for nature endure. Promisingly, in Alaska they are working towards legislation that will force cruise ships at least to move more slowly and therefore more quietly: a whale of an improvement. Promising Young Woman is on Sky Cinema and NOW from today. The Year Earth Changed is on Apple TV+ from today. Superheroes foiled by a deadly script Verdict: A damp squib Rating: Melissa McCarthy can perhaps be forgiven for producing and starring in this feeble superheroes spoof, which is laughable only in the sense of being risibly unfunny; her husband, Ben Falcone, is the writer and director. She duly gives it everything in her power, gurning madly and putting on silly voices when all else fails, meaning the script. But it is not enough. And nor is her mildly disconcerting double act with Octavia Spencer, looking ill-at-ease throughout, as though she has absent-mindedly meandered into somebody else's iffy comedy career. The pair play former schoolfriends whose paths have since diverged dramatically. Emily (Spencer) has become a famous technology mogul, while Lydia (McCarthy) remains stuck in the old working-class Chicago neighbourhood. Melissa McCarthy as Lydia and Octavia Spencer as Emily in Thunder Force But after years of estrangement they reunite to take on the evil Miscreants, criminals with superpowers, who are tormenting the city. In ways far too silly to explain, Lydia acquires superhuman strength and Emily gains a cloak of invisibility, giving them a fighting chance of resisting an egomaniacal politician (Bobby Cannavale), who has the Miscreants in his pocket. Thunder Force has only one ace, in the form of a Miscreant known as The Crab. Half-man, half-crustacean, with pincers for arms, he is played amusingly by Jason Bateman, delivering some good lines with characteristic laid-back aplomb. I laughed out loud, possibly as much as twice. But without The Crab, the movie goes sideways. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Insurer American International Group Inc., railroad company CSX Inc. and electric companies Duke Energy Corp., FirstEnergy Corp. and Entergy Corp. have pledged to report publicly about their influence on climate policy and alignment with the Paris Agreement, according to investors. It's the latest win for shareholders as companies' influence on government policy gains attention and President Joe Biden unveils policies addressing climate change. Biden invited 40 world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the Leaders Summit on Climate that he will host next week. "The amount of agreements that have been reached shows that companies are recognizing that this is an issue they have to grapple with and that investor scrutiny on it is not going anywhere," said Lila Holzman, senior energy program manager at As You Sow, a nonprofit raising the issue with businesses. "Companies are trying to get ahead of this and help to provide some of what investors are requesting." The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, a coalition of religious, socially responsible, pension and union investors managing more than $2 trillion, announced last week that members made deals with the five companies, which led to the withdrawal of shareholder proposals on the matter. Some of the companies will provide stand-alone climate lobbying reports that lay out direct and trade association activities and their alignment with the Paris Agreement, while others will include disclosures in sustainability reports on their websites or elsewhere, according to ICCR. The group expects some of the disclosures to include that companies are changing their lobbying practices. Even at companies agreeing to report information, scrutiny is unlikely to dissipate. "A+ reports" are rare, Holzman said in an interview. She said the transparency can serve as a starting point to address climate lobbying concerns, and climate-conscious investors will likely seek improved reports over time. In particular, Holzman pointed to concerns about companies cherry-picking lobbying examples to include in their reports rather than admitting and explaining cases when their direct or indirect policy activity was inconsistent. When a company disagrees with its trade associations on an issue, they should reveal that publicly in real time to make their position clear, she said. The agreements come after a similar shareholder proposal seeking reporting on climate lobbying and its alignment with Paris accord goals won majority support at Chevron Corp.'s shareholder meeting in 2020, the first year the measure went to a vote at any U.S. company. Although the request was nonbinding, the second-largest U.S. oil company produced the report. "To get a majority out of the blocks, that really turns some heads," Tim Brennan of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which submitted the CSX proposal, said in an interview. He said shareholders' ultimate goal is to make disclosure of climate lobbying and Paris accord alignment best practice. Their efforts are ongoing and include outreach to additional companies, Brennan said. Some companies are battling the climate lobbying request. Proposals are headed to a vote at Exxon Mobil Corp., Sempra Energy, Norfolk Southern Corp., Phillips 66, Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc., according to ICCR. In votes last year, investors gave relatively high but not majority approval to climate lobbying measures at airlines. Investors launched the ballot campaign on climate lobbying in the U.S. last year. Its quick success was unusual. It had strong backing, with French firm BNP Paribas Asset Management submitting proposals. Investors had made similar demands in Europe, where some of the largest oil and gas companies have exited trade associations over their climate positions. BlackRock backing The world's largest asset manager, BlackRock, backed the measure at Chevron, a powerful signal given its status among most public companies' top shareholders. BlackRock, which manages $8.7 trillion in assets, said ahead of 2021 corporate meetings that it will begin asking companies to confirm that their political activities are in line with public statements on policy issues and explain any inconsistencies with trade association positions. The firm also vowed to approve more shareholder proposals, particularly on environmental issues. A coalition of investors managing $54 trillion, Climate Action 100+, has also addressed climate-related lobbying by companies. As investors increasingly back climate-related actions, a shift in the U.S. political landscape after Biden became president in January also changed the tone of discussions with corporate leaders. Brennan said that an administration and Congress promoting wide-ranging climate bills and regulations increases the pressure on companies to address their lobbying and frees up companies to publicize their climate stances without fear that they'll sour their relationships with the party in power. "It's some of the writing on the wall," he said. "Companies are very sensitive to what's going on in Washington."The Leaders Summit on Climate to be hosted by Biden on April 22 and 23 will underscore the urgency and the economic benefits of stronger climate action, according to the White House. It's being held ahead of the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November in Glasgow, Scotland. 2021 CQ Roll Call Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC People burn a portrait of Army chief General Min Aung Hlaing as they protest against the military coup, in Mandalay, Myanmar February 3, 2021. Reuters-Yonhap Southeast Asian countries are considering a proposal to send a humanitarian aid mission to Myanmar as a potential first step in a long-term plan to broker a dialogue between the junta and its opponents, diplomats familiar with the discussions said. The proposal is being considered ahead of a planned meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders this month. Diplomats said it might be attended by Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, who took power in a Feb. 1 coup that has plunged his country into turmoil. The ASEAN summit has yet to be confirmed, although Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on his Facebook account on Friday that it would take place on April 24 and he would fly to Indonesia's capital for the event. Myanmar's junta did not respond to a request for comment. A national unity government in Myanmar, announced on Friday by members of the civilian administration ousted by the junta, said it should handle any aid from ASEAN and Min Aung Hlaing should not be allowed to take part in the summit. Some regional foreign ministers and officials have held talks with Myanmar's ousted lawmakers, who call themselves the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), but they have not been invited to the meeting. Myanmar has been in violent disarray since the junta overthrew the government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, left, Myanmar's commander-in-chief, shakes hands with National League for Democracy party leader Aung San Suu Kyi before their meeting in Hlaing's office at Naypyitaw on December 2, 2015. REUTERS-Yonhap People have been taking to the streets day after day to demand the restoration of democracy, defying crackdowns by the security forces in which more than 700 people have been killed, according to a monitoring group. ASEAN countries - worried by the bloodshed in a country that faces economic collapse, mass civil disobedience and the resurgence of conflict between the military and ethnic groups - have stepped up diplomatic efforts since the coup. Myanmar is a member of the 10-member ASEAN and the bloc's mediation could be key to resolving the crisis. Proposals being considered for the summit included a humanitarian aid mission that could be a prelude to talks between the Myanmar military and the ousted civilian government, two regional diplomats and a source close to the Malaysian government said. However, there is little likelihood of any dialogue soon between the two sides. The military government has accused the CRPH of treason, which is punishable by death, while the ousted lawmakers have called the junta leader a "murderer in chief". 'Space for dialogue' The ASEAN proposal would start with a pause in hostilities and be followed by the delivery of aid, said Rizal Sukma, the executive director of the Jakarta-based Centre for International and Strategic Studies, who is among a team helping to generate policy ideas ahead of the summit. This might eventually create a "space for dialogue" between the junta and its opponents, he said. "For this third element, it really requires the Tatmadaw to release political prisoners," said Sukma, referring to the military by its Burmese name. A demonstrator carrying a homemade weapon flashes the defiant three-finger salute during an anti-military coup protest in Mandalay, Myanmar, April 11, 2021. EPA-Yonhap Calls to name a Royal Navy warship in honour of Prince Philip are intensifying as Britons pay their respects ahead of his funeral on Saturday. A petition to name a new military vessel after the late Duke of Edinburgh has rapidly gathered more than 12,000 signatures. Tory MP James Gray suggested that one of the escort ships for the new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier could be named after the Duke. 'It would be nice to have the escort ship named after the Duke of Edinburgh quite fitting,' Mr Gray said. Prince Philip pictured with the Queen and the Royal Yacht in the background It comes amid growing calls for Boris Johnson to consider sanctioning a successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia as a memorial to the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip's Royal Navy career The Duke of Edinburgh in 1945, when he was serving on HMS Valiant After graduating from the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Prince Philip served in the Second World War. He was appointed a midshipman in January 1940 and spent four months on the battleships HMS Ramillies, HMS Kent and HMS Shropshire. He was also involved in the battle of Crete and mentioned in dispatches for his service during the battle of Cape Matapan aboard HMS Valiant. He was promoted to first lieutenant of HMS Wallace in 1942, one of the youngest in Royal Navy. During this time, he saved his ship from a night bomber attack. Following his marriage, he was stationed in Malta and given command of the frigate HMS Magpie. He was promoted to commander in 1952, though his naval career ended in 1951. Advertisement Politicians and business leaders have called for the construction of the vessel to serve as a sister ship to aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. Mr Gray today added his voice to those calls. He said: 'I remain of the view that they were very upset by the loss of the Royal Yacht Britannia, and there is a very real role for Britain plc having a handsome vessel. 'They would call it the Royal Yacht to give it the status, but it would be a symbol of post-Brexit Britain. The Royal Navy's new Type 26 frigates are due to come into service soon and will replace eight Type 23 frigates. They will be tasked with warfighting, maritime security and international engagement on the world stage. Type 26 is the first naval platform shared between Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom since the Tribal-class Destroyer - a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Austrailian Navy that saw service during World War Two. Primarily, they are set to protect the nation's strategic deterrents and ensure the safety of the new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers from submarines. If a ship is named after Prince Philip, it wouldn't be the first to bear the name Duke of Edinburgh. The HMS Duke of Edinburgh was the lead ship of the Duke of Edinburgh classed armoured cruisers built in the early 1900s. One of two ships, she was stationed in the Mediterranean when the First World War broke out, and went on to fight in the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. The ship was the only vessel of the squadron to survive the battle, and was transferred to the Atlantic Ocean for convoy escorts in 1917, before being sold for scrap in 1920. A new Royal Yacht could also be considered to carry the Duke of Edinburgh name. The former Royal Yacht, HMY Britannia, was the much loved vessel of the Royal Family which was in service from 1954 to 1997. It is now a visitor attraction in Edinburgh. A secret naval design for a 100 million replacement was drawn up by naval staff and approved by representatives of the Royal family, but the Labour Government refused to pay for it. Writing on the decision to decommission the vessel, Philip said in a 2003 that it 'signalled the end of an unbroken succession of Royal Yachts dating back to the reign of King Charles II'. A type 26 frigate (pictured) could be named after the Duke of Edinburgh The Royal Yacht was decommissioned in 1997 after more than 40 years of service Calls for a replacement have been made several times before, but MPs have said that making the ship as a memorial to the Duke would make it more appropriate. One Cabinet minister told the Sunday Telegraph that the ship could receive backing if it doubled as hospital ship or a training vessel as well as serving the Royal Family. They said: 'Having a symbol of the nation that can travel the world, be used by the Royal family and have another sensible purpose such as helping young people is a better scheme. It could also be a flagship for reinvigorated British shipbuilding.' They added that an announcement on such a ship, which would cost around 190million, could be tied to the Queen's diamond jubilee next year. There have also been calls for Philip to be honoured with a statue in London in recognition of his 'great personal dedication and support to Her Majesty the Queen'. A petition for a statue on Change.org has already attracted almost 6,000 signatures. The Massachusetts unemployment rate continued to improve in March, falling just 2 tenths of a percentage point to 6.8%, the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday. Thats the lowest the states unemployment rate has been since it shot up to 16.4% a year ago following the first round of COVID-related disruptions to the economy. At 6.8%, the March rate is 38th out of the 50 states plus Washington, D.C., putting the Bay State between Arizona at 6.7% and Texas at 6.9%. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said Massachusetts gained 12,800 jobs in March. This follows last months revised gain of 19,700 jobs. The numbers come out as many employers report difficulty finding workers. Meanwhile, layoffs appear to have slowed. Across Massachusetts 14,460 people filed initial claims for unemployment compensation last week. Thats down 5,777 from the previous week, and a low mark for new claims since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also indicates more people are joining the workforce, either working or looking for work. The labor force participation rate the share of working age population employed and unemployed was up one-tenth of a percentage point at 66.4%. The labor force was up 16,400 from the March 2020 estimate of 3.7 million. Jobs numbers and unemployment numbers often do not match. They come from separate surveys, with jobless numbers derived from a household survey and jobs numbers from a survey of workplaces. Tax data and other information helps economists correct discrepancies, which is why numbers are revised from month to month. The national unemployment rate is 6%, edging down by a fraction of a percentage point over the month. It was 1.6 points higher than in March 2020. Unemployment rates were lower in March in 20 states and Washington, D.C., and stable in 30 states, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Local unemployment rates for March wont be available until later in April. But as of February, the unemployment rate was 8.3% in greater Springfield, down from 8.5% the month before but much higher than the pre-pandemic level of 3.8%. Here, according to the state, are job gains and losses broken down by sector of the economy: Leisure and Hospitality gained 6,000 (+2.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality lost 87,600 (-24.2 %) jobs. Education and Health Services gained 3,000 (+0.4%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Education and Health Services lost 61,700 (-7.5 %) jobs. Construction gained 2,500 (+1.5%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Construction has lost 1,700 (-1.0%) jobs. Trade, Transportation and Utilities gained 900 (+0.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Trade, Transportation and Utilities lost 22,600 (-3.9 %) jobs. Information gained 300 (+0.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Information lost 6,400 (-6.8%) jobs. Financial Activities showed no change in jobs over the month. Over the year, Financial Activities lost 3,300 (-1.5 %) jobs. Manufacturing lost 200 (-0.1%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Manufacturing lost 11,900 (-4.9 %) jobs. Other Services lost 200 (-0.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Other Services are down 23,700 (-17.1 %) jobs. Professional, Scientific and Business Services lost 1,300 (-0.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Professional, Scientific and Business Services lost 15,800 (-2.6 %) jobs. Government gained 1,700 (+0.4%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Government lost 38,100 (-8.2%) jobs. Related Content: (Natural News) CNNs Dr. Sanjay Gupta is now embracing the coronavirus lab origin theory. In a recent interview, Gupta supported Dr. Robert Redfields analysis, which postulates that SARS-CoV-2 likely originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This is the controversial Chinese lab where coronavirus gain-of-function research was being conducted in order to develop new vaccines. After Dr. Redfield and Dr. Gupta spoke openly about the lab origin, White House Coronavirus Task Force head, Dr. Anthony Fauci, rushed in to do damage control. In the White House press briefing, Fauci asserted that most scientists believe Covid-19 didnt come from a lab. Coronavirus lab origin theory hastily and suspiciously ruled out early on in the Covid-19 scandal In the beginning of the Covid-19 scandal, CNN, MSNBC, Big Tech censors, Dr. Fauci, and the heads of nearly every US regulatory agency were quick to rule out the coronavirus lab origin theory. Even though the first outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 was reported in Wuhan, China, (not far from the controversial Wuhan Institute of Virology) Chinese and U.S. experts were quick to cover up any evidence of the lab origin. Even though the Wuhan Institute of Virology specialized in gain-of-function coronavirus research that exploits receptors on human lung cells, U.S. experts were quick to rule out the Wuhan lab as a potential cause of the outbreaks and all the severe illness that resulted. This kind of controversial, unethical research was banned in the U.S. six years prior, but was later off-shored to Wuhan through the National Institutes of Health and the Eco Health Alliance, through grants approved by Dr. Fauci himself, who was the point man for the coronavirus gain of function research. The intention of this gain-of-function research was to develop vaccines to counter future outbreaks. All truth be told, the origins of the Covid-19 scandal and all the associated suffering and death ultimately stem from unethical vaccine research and virus engineering. How can someone with such close ties to coronavirus gain of function research be so quick to rule out the research as the cause of this worldwide scandal? (And doesnt that reek of conflict of interest?) CNN medical correspondent joins Dr. Robert Redfield in support of the lab origin theory As the Covid bio-terrorism trail is uncovered, more voices will inevitably come clean about the very real potential of the lab origins of SARS-CoV-2. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is finally breaking with the propaganda network and backing the coronavirus lab origin theory. He joins Dr. Robert Redfield, who also sees evidence that the gain of function research on bat coronaviruses is likely the origin of Covid-19, not some natural virus. In a March 26 interview, Redfield said, I do not believe this somehow came from a bat to a human. Normally, when a pathogen goes from a zoonot to human, it takes a while for it to figure out how to become more & more efficient in human-to-human transmission. Gupta, who could very well lose his position at CNN now, is backing Redfields assertion: Hes an experienced virologist. He was also head of the CDC at the time this was happening, which means that in addition to everything that we know, he had access to raw data and raw intelligence that was coming out of China, Gupta said. My point is that its a much more informed sort of thing for him to be saying than for anybody who may have expertise in virology, because he has a lot more knowledge and information that he has that maybe he cant share, but is informing his opinion. I was not as shocked by what he said as the fact that he said it, Gupta added. Theres reason to suspect that this is the origin of the virus. Read more about the origins of SARS-CoV-2 at Bioterrorism.News. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com POSCO C&C wants to buy 30 per cent of a joint venture with a company linked to Myanmars military. South Korean Churches and the South Korean government are highly critical of the junta. Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) A South Korean steelmaker today announced plans to end a joint venture with a company controlled by Myanmars military. The POSCO C&C owns 70 per cent of the joint venture. After coming international pressure, the steelmaker said it wants to buy the 30 per cent owned by MEHL, which is linked to Myanmars Ministry of Defence. The latter has yet to respond. POSCO C&C wants to remain in Myanmar; if MEHL refuses to sell, it will seek other ways to do business in the country. South Korea and South Korean Churches have condemned Myanmars military coup, calling for a return to democracy. South Korean authorities have stopped arms sales to the Southeast Asian country. South Korea is among the junta's most vocal critics. President Moon Jae-in has repeatedly called for an end to the use of violence against the people of Myanmar. South Koreas National Assembly and many governors identify with Myanmar's predicament since South Korea too went from military dictatorship to democracy in a struggle that saw defenceless South Korean civilians stand up to their own military. In a statement, Justice for Myanmar together with the Korean Civil Society in Support of Democracy in Myanmar, welcomed POSCO C&C's decision. The two advocacy groups urged the company to immediately end all other business ties with the Myanmar military junta and its conglomerates, including rent on land leased by entities associated with the military. With spring in bloom and millions of Americans getting vaccinated by the day, business has started picking back up for Americas financially battered restaurants. Theres just one problem: They cant find enough hands to hire. That, anyway, is whats been reported in a raft of articles describing an industrywide labor shortage thats challenged eateries across the U.S. and even forced some to close, right when it seemed theyd reached the light at the end of COVIDs long, dark tunnel. Restaurants have been especially troubled by a lack of back-of-house staff like line cooks; after all, you cant serve food if nobodys in the kitchen. Advertisement Many business owners (and journalists) have been quick to blame this difficult hiring environment on the federal unemployment benefits that the Biden administration extended through Sept. 6 as part of its coronavirus relief legislation. The law provides an additional $300 per week to recipients on top of their state aid, and in some instances, the combined amount is more than some establishments can afford to pay. As one restaurateur in California told the New York Times: You have some cases where its more profitable to not work than to work, and you cant really fault people for wanting to hold on to that as long as possible. Advertisement Advertisement One common response to these kinds of stories from left-wing corners of Twitter is that, if employers are having trouble hiring workers, they should simply raise pay. But thats much easier snarked about than done; restaurants tend to run on low margins and often have trouble raising their prices, and jacking up wages immediately isnt necessarily a realistic option (theres a reason most proposals for minimum wage increases are phased in over years). Advertisement The problem with this narrative is that it might be flat-out wrong. Its not actually clear that unemployment benefits are keeping a large number of Americans from going back to work. Aside from the anecdotal accountswhich do carry some weightthe evidence is a little spotty at this point, and there may well be other more important factors at play, mostly having to do with the horrific plague that hasnt actually disappeared yet, even if spring breakers in Miami Beach and Trump voters in North Dakota sometimes act like it has. Lets break down the possibilities. The Case for Blaming Unemployment Insurance Republicans in Congress spent much of 2020 arguing that generous unemployment benefits were slowing down the nations economic recovery by making it harder for businesses to rehire. But economists who looked at the issue consistently found that didnt seem to be the case. A paper by the University of Pennsylvanias Ioana Marinescu, the Federal Reserves Daphne Skandalis, and Glassdoor in-house economist Daniel Zhao offered the simplest, most compelling explanation: After Congress boosted unemployment payments in last years CARES Act, job searches did drop, as one would expect. But thanks to the pandemic, job openings fell more, so the businesses that were trying to hire had no shortage of workers to choose from. Advertisement The situation appears to be a bit different now. Online job openings are now higher than they were pre-COVID, according to an analysis from the headhunting site ZipRecruiter. At the same time, job search activity, measured by Google Trends, seems to be down since March, when Democrats passed their relief bill, as Glassdoors Zhao has pointed out. An unusual trend has sprouted up in the labor market in the last few wks: Google Trends data shows job search activity has dropped dramatically since March 1, falling -15% and settling at -10% now. Why is labor supply dropping even as vaccine distribution accelerates? 1/ pic.twitter.com/4lMEl9rX2b Daniel Zhao (@DanielBZhao) April 7, 2021 Advertisement That timeline is roughly consistent with the idea that unemployment benefits might be keeping some people at home. The fact that the extra $300 per month had originally been scheduled to expire in March might have motivated people to search for jobs in the late winter. But once it became clear that Democrats would extend benefits for almost six months more, some individuals may have decided not to rush. The Biden administration also made it a bit easier to remain jobless back in February, when it released a new rule allowing people to turn down job offers for safety reasons and still keep their unemployment benefits. The Case Against Blaming Unemployment Insurance But the data dont quite tell so clean a story. First, its not clear how much of a hiring crunch actually exists. Reports of hiring shortages crop up with pretty much every economic recovery, as employers get used to the new normal, and the medias bias toward conflict and negativity tends to play these accounts up. But the U.S. managed to add a whopping 916,000 jobs in March, including 176,000 in restaurants, fast-food chains, and bars. That hiring largely occurred before Democrats passed their coronavirus bill, but it suggests that unemployment benefits hadnt exactly frozen the job market. Whats more, University of Massachusetts Amherst economist Arindrajit Dube has found that, at least through March, states with less generous unemployment benefits havent seen their job markets rebound any faster, suggesting that jobless benefits may be having a limited impact on the overall speed of hiring. Advertisement Advertisement Finally, the Department of Labor reported on Thursday that 1.2 million Americans left the unemployment rolls between March 20 and March 27. It appears plenty of people are ready and willing to return to work. Insofar as some Americans are choosing to stay home rather than search for a job, its unclear how many are doing so because they can make more on unemployment, and how many are doing so because theyre afraid of catching a potentially deadly virus. The vaccine effort may be ramping up, but the majority of adults arent fully inoculated yet, and in some locales like D.C., restaurant workers only recently became eligible for a shot. Some food industry veterans, like this bartender interviewed by Washington City Paper, simply arent comfortable risking their health yet: Advertisement D.C. bartender Christian Kerekes got his first vaccine on April 8. I started looking for a job right away, he says. Fuck unemployment. He vowed not to work until he was vaccinated because he has asthma. I cant be around risky situations like that, he says. Until Im fully vaccinated, or at least half vaccinated, I wont feel comfortable giving my all in a restaurant environment. Hes frustrated by the conversations hes overheard about how its time to come off unemployment. We dont have the vaccine yet so we cant go back to work, Kerekes says. Some District residents have been so dismayed by the waiting game that theyve driven to other states to get shots. Youre genuinely wanting to get back to your passion or career but youre unable to because of reasons that are outside of your reach, Kerekes says. Advertisement The other lingering factor to consider is that many parents still have child care responsibilities because schools remain closed, which may be keeping them from taking jobs. Insofar as unemployment benefits allow people to stay home and stay safe until theyre vaccinated, thats a good thing. Moreover, if people are still staying away from work mostly because of the pandemic, and not because they want to take a government-funded vacation, it means that we should expect whatever hiring crunch that currently exists to ease up as more adults get a shot. At our current pace, the New York Times projects that every adult could receive at least one jab by late June, meaning we should have a much clearer picture by then. If the generosity of unemployment insurance seems to be holding up the economic recovery by then, it might be time for Congress to think of a change in policy. (One idea thats been floated is to offer workers a back-to-work bonus by allowing them to collect some of the unemployment benefits they would have received even if they take a job.) Advertisement I asked Glassdoors Zhao what he thought the most likely reason was that some businesses seem to be having trouble hiring at the moment. I think the largest factor right now is the pandemic, rather than unemployment benefits, he told me. But he added that the jury was still basically out, and that its entirely possible the issues the media is focused on could be moot in a few months. Its not very exciting to hear, Zhao said, but I think this is a place where we need to wait and see where the evidence evolves. Once youre vaxxed, I suggest waiting by the bar. Gabriel Fluffy Iglesias got his Twitter fans excited with a fun giveaway, one that spotlighted a San Antonio gem. Iglesias took to the platform Thursday, April 15, to launch a contest for a signed throwback photo of himself standing in front of our very own Alamo. While many of his followers tweeted I need a signed retro Fluffy San Antonio print in my life in hopes of winning the prize, some locals also shared their sentiments or got witty about the Alamo in the replies. As someone that is a fan of yours and a resident of San Antonio, my dream is to bump into you in a hole in the wall restaurant that serves good tacos, manifested @MrPoizonX. As someone from San Antonio I feel like its meant to be, said @nickgarcia_65. Yo can [you] check the Alamos basement for a bike? Asking for a friend, tweeted @O_Ree_Ba, a nod to "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." RELATED: San Antonio's favorite comedian Gabriel Iglesias is coming to the Alamo City Its obvious that the love between Fluffy and San Antonio goes both ways. After announcing a full week of shows at the Tobin Center of the Performing Arts this summer, a second and third week of shows were added due to the demand. If youre sad you didnt win Fluffys vintage photo, consider buying tickets to a show here. The $25 billion Canadian Pacific Railway deal and indirect gains from Biden administration's COVID relief bill indicate further integration of both economies. Canada's economy expected to grow by 6.5 per cent in 2021, though slow vaccination rate limits full economic potential. Labour market struggles, cash-strapped municipalities and a large GDP gap are some of the main obstacles the federal government must address. TORONTO, April 16, 2021 /CNW/ - RSM Canada ("RSM"), the leading global provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on middle market businesses, today launched its second 2021 issue of "The Real Economy: Canada" a quarterly report that provides Canadian businesses with economic analysis and insights into factors driving growth, or economic headwinds, in Canada's middle market. In anticipation of Monday's federal budget announcement, the second edition of this year's 'The Real Economy: Canada' report examines how the economy has responded to aggressive federal spending and monetary policy, and to indirect measures such as the Biden administration's American Rescue Plan, which is proving to be a spark for growth north of the border. The report also shines a light on the harmonizing effect of Canadian Pacific Railway's recent $25 billion acquisition, the technological progression of Canadian industries over the past year and the path forward for a struggling Canadian labour force. Key findings in this quarter's report include: 1. Canada's economy boosted by Biden administration's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan American stimulus cheques will help unleash consumer spending, which has been closely tied to Canada's economic growth over the past few decades. economic growth over the past few decades. Reports show Canada's GDP will benefit from U.S. stimulus package more than any other economy, indicating that further North American economic integration is both inevitable and mutually beneficial. GDP will benefit from U.S. stimulus package more than any other economy, indicating that further North American economic integration is both inevitable and mutually beneficial. Government spending and aggressive monetary policy have helped Canadian economy recover 90 per cent of the economic output lost as a result of the pandemic. 2. Canadian Pacific Railway deal represents thaw in North American trade tensions and major step towards an integrated continental economy Canada's auto, manufacturing and agriculture sectors stand to gain exponentially from this integration of the continent's global supply chain. auto, manufacturing and agriculture sectors stand to gain exponentially from this integration of the continent's global supply chain. Canadian middle market firms now have opportunity to get their goods to market in a cheaper, more environmentally friendly manner. Spike in oil-by-rail from Canada to U.S. in 2021 likely due to greater energy demand from stronger U.S. economy and Keystone XL pipeline cancellation. 3. Canada's GDP still undershooting pre-pandemic projections, though productivity is on the rise Canada's output gap which is the difference between actual GDP and the economy's pre-pandemic projected GDP is a 5.1 per cent deficit as of December 2020 . output gap which is the difference between actual GDP and the economy's pre-pandemic projected GDP is a 5.1 per cent deficit as of . Pandemic has likely hastened diversification of North American economies toward technology and advanced manufacturing, with productivity rising in industries that are more technologically oriented. Increased manufacturing and technology production will end up supporting downstream service-sector activity and household consumption, particularly once the vaccine has been broadly distributed. 4. Canadian labour continues its slow climb back to pre-pandemic levels Unemployment rate of 7.5 per cent implies a labour market with a long road back to reaching its full employment potential Prioritizing job retraining would help alleviate concerns of labour force exposure to job automation. Delayed entry of young Canadians into the work force, 60 per cent decline in immigration represent lingering problems for labour long-term. 5. Municipalities unwilling to increase taxes to address plummeting revenues, but this may change Model suggests COVID-19 will decrease cities' own source revenue by around 15 per cent, from $112 billion in 2019 to $94 billion in 2020. in 2019 to in 2020. The revenue shock requires an assessment of how municipalities are financed moving forward. Doing so will support municipal modernization efforts, which will be critical to driving efficiencies. "Canadian Pacific's $25 billion deal to purchase Kansas City Southern marks a significant move toward easing tensions among North American trading partners this year and fulfilling the vision of an integrated North American economy," says Alex Kotsopoulos, partner, projects and economics with RSM Canada. "In the near-term however, current levels of unemployment in Canada point to a labour market that is struggling to reclaim its full potential, while the current revenue shortage of municipalities and Canada's output gap defined as the difference between actual GDP and the economy's pre-pandemic projected GDP suggest more action is required by the government." Joe Brusuelas, chief economist with RSM US LLP, added: "Buoyed by government spending and aggressive monetary policy, the Canadian economy has recovered nearly 90 per cent of the economic output lost as a result of the pandemic, setting the stage for what is expected to be Canada's fastest rate of growth in a generation. While the federal government's upcoming budget will attempt to accelerate recovery, it is the American Rescue Plan that, when combined with Canadian relief efforts, will lift the economy out of its slumber. Payments being sent directly to Americans will unleash consumer spending, which in turn will fuel a robust expansion this year and next. Canada's economy will benefit as a result." For more information on RSM Canada's 'The Real Economy: Canada', or to download the report, please visit: https://rsmcanada.com/our-insights/the-real-economy/the-real-economy-canada-volume-9.html About RSM RSM's purpose is to deliver the power of being understood to our clients, colleagues and communities through world-class audit, tax and consulting services focused on middle market businesses. The clients we serve are the engine of global commerce and economic growth, and we are focused on developing leading professionals and services to meet their evolving needs in today's ever-changing business environment. RSM Canada LLP provides public accounting services and is the Canadian member firm of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms with more than 43,000 people in 120 countries. RSM Alberta LLP is a limited liability partnership and independent legal entity that provides public accounting services. RSM Canada Consulting LP provides consulting services and is an affiliate of RSM US LLP, a member firm of RSM International. For more information visit rsmcanada.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and/or connect with us on LinkedIn. SOURCE RSM Canada For further information: Media contact: Ben Rose or Stephen Colle, FleishmanHillard HighRoad, 416-939-6649, [email protected] Related Links https://rsmcanada.com/ 'Prolific' lies told by the girlfriend of Babes in the Wood murderer Russell Bishop let him escape justice for killing two girls and later try to claim a third victim, a court heard today. Jennifer Johnson, 55, is accused of telling 'lies that were important' in the tragic case, including about a crucial piece of evidence - a sweatshirt found near the scene. Her ex-boyfriend Bishop was first tried for the brutal murders of schoolgirls Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows in 1987 but was acquitted. The nine-year-olds were found sexually assaulted and strangled in a woodland den in Brighton in October 1986. Bishop being found not guilty of their murders 'caused devastation' for the girls' families but there was 'another terrible consequence', a jury was told: Bishop went on to attack another girl in 1990. Johnson is to claim that she was acting under duress when she gave evidence at that 1987 trial, Lewes Crown Court heard. However the prosecution said that Johnson made a choice 'to put herself and her family first' and 'a choice to protect Russell Bishop'. It was not until 2018 that Bishop was convicted of the killings of Karen and Nicola, and jailed for life with a minimum term of 36 years. Johnson is charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice. Jennifer Johnson (right) is accused of telling 'lies that were important' in the Russell Bishop (left) case, including about a crucial piece of evidence - a sweatshirt found near the scene Johnson (seen outside Lewes Crown Court), now 55, is charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice, and appeared for trial on Friday after pleading not guilty Johnson had initially provided a statement on October 31, 1986, claiming she knew a sweatshirt found near the scene of the murders had belonged to her boyfriend. She told officers that red marks found on the clothing came from a compound he used on his car, adding a pair of his light blue trousers had the same red stains. But she sensationally retracted her statement during the trial and claimed she had never seen the blue Pinto sweatshirt and that it did not belong to Russell. The judge consequently directed jurors to acquit Bishop if they were unsure the sweatshirt belonged to him and that he had been wearing it on the night of the murders. Bishop, who worked as a roofer, was re-arrested in 2016 after advances in DNA testing irrefutably linked him to the blue sweatshirt. He faced a second trial for the murders of Karen and Nicola at the Old Bailey in 2018, where he was convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 36 years behind bars. Bishop was first tried for the brutal murders of schoolgirls Karen Hadaway (right) and Nicola Fellows (left) in 1987 but was acquitted. He was convicted in 2018 Pictured: A blue Pinto sweatshirt, allegedly worn by Russell Bishop and said to contain vital DNA evidence, which was found beside a path behind Moulsecoomb railway station The long road to justice October 10, 1986 - Victims found in woods in Wild Park, Brighton. December 3, 1986 - Bishop charged with the murders. December 10, 1987 - After a four week trial, Bishop is acquitted of both murders and released. February 4, 1990 - Bishop arrested for kidnap, indecent assault and attempted murder of a seven-year-old girl at Devil's Dyke, East Sussex. January 19, 1991 - Bishop convicted of kidnap, indecent assault and attempted murder and sentenced to life with a minimum of 14 years. July 2002 - Babes in the Wood case subject to review and DNA profiling, but was not a success. April 2005 - Double jeopardy laws - on people being able to be tried twice for same offence twice - are changed. January 2006 - Forensic tests link Bishop and the Pinto sweatshirt. Autumn 2006 - Families of both victims informed there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a fresh case against Bishop. 2011-2012 - Cold case review of the murders. November 3, 2013 - Full reinvestigation of forensics. May 10, 2016 - Russell Bishop rearrested. December 2017 - His acquittal was quashed. December 2018 - He is finally convicted of the murders. Advertisement Johnson was arrested last year and charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice. Alison Morgan QC, prosecuting, said Johnson took a deliberate decision to lie 'deliberately and prolifically' to help Bishop. She said Johnson knew the importance of the sweatshirt to the trial and told lies about it. She said: 'In telling those lies, the prosecution alleges that she intended to pervert the course of justice. She lied because she was seeking to assist and protect her former partner. 'By lying in the way that she did she wanted to help Russell Bishop to be acquitted of the offences of murder.' She added: 'Her evidence attributing the sweatshirt to Bishop fell away. The case against Bishop was significantly undermined as a result. 'Bishop was acquitted of those offences at the trial which took place between November and December 1987. He was then released from custody and returned to live with the defendant and their children.' Miss Morgan said: 'Three years later in 1990, at a time when he was still living with the defendant, Russell Bishop kidnapped, sexually assaulted and tried to kill another young girl. 'He left that girl in woodland, believing her to be dead. Miraculously, the girl survived. 'There was another trial. The defendant continued to maintain her support for Russell Bishop. 'This time, however, Russell Bishop was convicted of the offences of attempted murder and sexual assault and he was sentenced to a life sentence.' Miss Morgan told the jury the defendant will claim she lived in fear of Bishop and was under duress to retract her original statement to police. She said it was clear Johnson, who then worked as a cleaner at the American Express offices in Brighton, was in a 'violent, volatile and coercive' relationship with Bishop. Miss Morgan said: 'It will be suggested on behalf of the defendant that she was forced to give false evidence by Russell Bishop and his family. She will say that she had 'no choice'. Russell Bishop, pictured (left) in prison in recent years and (right) after his initial arrest for the 1986 Babes in the Wood murders, was convicted in 2018, 32 years after the girls were killed The girls were found dead in this 'den' in undergrowth in Wild Park, Brighton after the going missing the previous night The blunders that let the killer go free Bishop's first trial in 1987 saw a series of blunders which led to his acquittal. Bishop's sweatshirt, which was central to the case, was initially treated as lost property. It was put in a brown paper bag as 'no one thought it was important' during the search for the girls. Forensic science only allowed experts to say the jumper and the girls 'could' have been in contact with each other. Human hairs and fibres found on Nicola's body were not tested. The 'Pinto' jumper was widely available in shops across the country, so may not have been Bishops. Bishop's partner Jennifer Johnson initially identified the jumper as his, but then denied it when she took the witness stand. Advertisement 'She will say that she was young and the victim of domestic abuse and coercive control. She will say that at the time when she told the lies she did, she was acting under duress.' But Miss Morgan said Johnson, who was pregnant at the time and also had a young son with Bishop, also showed signs of being an independent and assertive woman herself. During the murder investigation, she told police she had a normal relationship with Russell and been 'happy' until he started a relationship with 16-year-old Marion Stevenson. Miss Morgan said a person is only entitled to claim that they are acting under duress if there is no reasonable evasive action that they could have taken. She told the jury the defence of duress is only applicable if the defendant felt seriously threatened. Miss Morgan said: 'For someone to be acting under duress they must reasonably believe that if they do not do something, serious violence will be used against them, or someone close to them, immediately or almost immediately.' Miss Morgan said Johnson had ample opportunities to tell the truth about the ownership of the sweatshirt. She said: 'Was she someone who was so terrified of Russell Bishop and his family that she simply had no choice but to lie on oath? 'Was there anything stopping her from telling the judge or the police officers or anyone else present in the courtroom that she was under that type of threat.' The case, which is set to last around four weeks, continues. Carol Prisant, an elegant design writer who was the New York editor of the idiosyncratic British magazine The World of Interiors, died on April 9 at a hospital in Manhattan. She was 82. Her son, Barden Prisant, said the cause was lung cancer. Ms. Prisant was a former antiques dealer with no editorial experience in 1989 when she wrote to Min Hogg, the autocratic editor of The World of Interiors, a magazine she revered, inquiring about a position there as an antiques editor. It took her a week to craft the letter, with just the right tone: deferential but charming. There was no such position, but Ms. Hogg, famously spontaneous, wrote her back anyway, and offered her a job as a writer. Ms. Prisant was 51. On her first assignment, she forgot to bring batteries for her tape recorder. Her third assignment was to write about Bill Blass. He told her she looked like Claudette Colbert. She remarked on his very doggy upholstery. (It was a compliment; she liked dogs.) She would go on to write about the wealthy and the eccentric, and those who helped them nest. But she never got the memo, as the longtime American magazine editor Stephen Drucker put it, that you werent supposed to write what you really felt in a decorating magazine. President Donald Trump speaks at an airport hanger at a rally a day after he formally accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention, in Londonderry, N.H., on Aug. 28, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Trump Endorses Wyoming GOP Chairman Frank Eathorne Backs his stance on Liz Cheney Former President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed Wyoming GOP chairman Frank Eathornes reelection efforts, specifically mentioning the chairmans censure of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in the statement. Perhaps, most importantly, Frank has censured the incompetent Liz Cheney, who couldnt care less about our brave soldiers overseas, and who is willing to fight ridiculous, endless wars instead of preparing for the big time enemies that may someday soon face our Country, Trump wrote in a statement. Cheneys office did not immediately return a request for comment. Cheney and Trump have sparred about the war in Afghanistan and the divide between the two has become more pronounced since the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, which prompted the congresswoman to vote in favor of impeaching the former president on Democrat accusations of inciting an insurrection. Trump was acquitted of that charge. Eathorne has been chair of the Wyoming GOP since 2019 and is currently campaigning for reelection. Frank Eathorne continues to fight for our America First Policies as GOP Chairman of the Great State of Wyoming. He is highly respected by everyone, fighting for your Second Amendment and continually growing the Republican Party, Trump wrote. Frank has my Complete and Total Endorsement for his re-election. He will never let you down! Trump added. Eathorne was one of Wyomings Republican leaders who led the effort to censure Cheney for her impeachment stance and put out a statement that condemned Cheneys decision. The Democrats are using this (the impeachment) to smear the entire conservative movement and all Republicans. By voting to impeach, Representative Cheney is helping them in that effort. Despite all the criticism from her own states GOP party, Cheney has not backed down on her criticism of Trump. Her office has said she has been able to raise $1.5 million in the first quarter of 2021 for her reelection campaign. She said Wednesday that she would not support former President Donald Trump if he runs for president in 2024. Neil Cavuto on Fox News asked Cheney if she would back Trump if he ran in 2024. I would not, Cheney replied. Right after Cheneys comment, Trump released a statement in response. And so many people, many people are looking to run against Crazy Liz Cheneybut we only want one, read the statement from Trump. She is so far down in Wyoming polls that the only way she can win is numerous candidates running against her and splitting the vote. Hopefully, that wont happen, he added. Ill make an Endorsement soon! This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions LAist only exists with reader support. If you're in a position to give, your donation powers our reporters and keeps us independent. Our reporting is free for everyone, but its not free to make. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Two grocery stores in Long Beach are set to close permanently on Saturday after parent company Kroger took issue with the citys hero pay law. Back in February, Kroger announced plans to close a Ralphs and a Food 4 Less, shortly after elected officials in Long Beach passed a temporary hazard pay mandate for large grocery chains. The hero pay rules require larger employers to pay their frontline grocery workers an extra $4 per hour over four months. Proponents said the goal is to compensate employees who have faced enormous risk while working through the pandemic. Kroger said the pay bump made it financially impossible to keep the two stores open. The company described both the Ralphs on N. Los Coyotes Diagonal and the Food 4 Less on E. South Street as underperforming. 'Irreparable Harm' The irreparable harm that will come to employees and local citizens is a direct result of the City of Long Beachs attempt to pick winners and losers, and is deeply unfortunate, a Kroger spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The two stores employ about 150 workers. Kroger said it has offered to transfer all employees to other stores. While most workers will accept transfers, some could have a tough time getting to their new job, said Andrea Zinder, president of the local chapter of the UFCW grocery union. For example, she said a long-term bakery clerk was told shed have to split her job between two stores. She walks to work right now, Zinder said. She lives across the street. Shes going to have to go to two different stores and take several buses in order to keep her full-time status. Union leaders say Krogers decision to close the two stores is retaliation for workers demanding better pay during the pandemic. Kroger maintains the city overstepped its bounds, requiring a pandemic-related pay bump for some, but not all, essential workers. And the company insists the employee transfers are in line with union contracts. Customers Will Have To Adjust To New Stores In both neighborhoods, customers will have other stores nearby to fill the void. But North Long Beach resident Norberto Lopez a project director with the housing rights group Long Beach Residents Empowered (LiBRE) said with the Food 4 Less near his apartment closing, his nearest alternative will be a non-union store. For me, the fact that Food 4 Less was a union store made a difference, because I knew I was supporting not just the store, but the workers, Lopez said. Kroger announced three more store closures in Los Angeles after elected officials in that city passed a temporary $5-per-hour hero pay mandate. Two L.A. Ralphs stores and one Food 4 Less are set to close on May 15. The California Grocers Association has sued Long Beach and other cities in an attempt to overturn the ordinances. We hate to see any community lose a grocery store, but store closures are one of the unintended consequences we warned about before the ordinance passed, CGA spokesperson Nate Rose said in an emailed statement. Wi2wi at-the-Ready for Key Industries Reopening Following Pandemic TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 16, 2021 / Wi2Wi Corporation today announced its audited consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. Amid the pandemic, the company remained operational and is well positioned to fulfill an anticipated rise in product demands as customers come back online. Key Financial Highlights In FY20, Wi2Wi was designated a part of the Critical Infrastructure Sector by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The company was able to maintain operational capacity and upheld COVID-19-related safety measures to prevent any large-scale outbreaks within the workforce. Throughout the majority of FY20, key customers in avionics, industrial and government were impacted by industry-related shutdowns. While the company anticipates the effects of these shutdowns diminishing as the global vaccine rollout accelerates, they had a significant impact on customer orders. In FY20, Wi2Wi generated $6.928 million in revenue and a gross profit of $1.066 million. After restructuring the workforce in Q4, the company turned around a net loss of $473,000 in Q3 to a net income of $126,000 in Q4. Through FY20, the company operated debt-free and funded operations through the income it generated. "Wi2Wi's ability to successfully navigate the challenges of FY20 can largely be attributed to our adaptability and resilience," said Zachariah Mathews, President and CEO of Wi2Wi. "Our priorities in FY21 remain consistent - we are committed to meeting and exceeding customer expectations and ensuring employee safety. As key industries resume operations, we will be able to react to customer demands without delay." FY20 Financial Overview (Audited) (In thousands of U.S. dollars) 12 Months ending December 31, 2020 12 Months ending December 31, 2019 Revenue $ 6,928 $ 10,369 Net income (588 ) 556 Net cash provided by (used in) operations (674 ) 906 Cash and restricted cash 1,739 2,680 Total assets 11,033 12,814 Total current liabilities 1,055 1,795 Shareholders' equity 6,698 7,240 Q4 FY20 Financial Overview (In thousands of U.S. dollars) 3 Months ending December 31, 2020 3 Months ending December 31, 2019 Revenue $ 1,414 $ 2,360 Net income 126 234 Detailed and historical financial information is available here. View visual detailing Wi2Wi's FY20 results here. Investor & Media Contact Dawn Leeder, Chief Financial Officer +1-608-203-0234 dawn_l@wi2wi.com About Wi2Wi Corporation Wi2Wi enables customers to substantially reduce their wireless R&D expenses and time to market. Wi2Wi designs, manufactures and markets deeply integrated, end-to-end wireless connectivity solutions as well as customizable, high-performance timing and frequency control devices. Wi2Wi provides real time technical support throughout the entire product life cycle for customers across the Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Avionics, Space, Industrial, Medical and Government sectors. Wi2Wi was founded in 2005 and is strategically headquartered in San Jose, California with satellite offices in Middleton, Wisconsin and Hyderabad, India. Wi2Wi's manufacturing operations, its laboratory for reliability and quality control, together with design and engineering for timing and frequency control devices are located in Middleton, Wisconsin. The branch office, located in Hyderabad, India, focuses on developing end to end wireless connectivity subsystems and solutions. Wi2Wi has partnered with best-in-class global leaders in technology, manufacturing and sales. The company uses a global network of manufacturer's representatives to promote its products and services, and has partnered with world class distributors for the fulfillment of orders along with direct sales. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including management's assessment of future plans and operations, and the timing thereof, that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks associated with the ability to access sufficient capital, the impact of general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and overseas, industry conditions, stock market volatility. The Company's actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, that the Company will derive there from. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect the Company's operations and financial results are included in reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com). Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements and if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Furthermore, the forward- looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Wi2Wi Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/640606/Wi2Wi-Corporation-Announces-2020-Year-End-Results Amid a rising wave of violence against Asian Americans, a Harris County grand jury has indicted a woman on a hate crime charge in an attack last month involving the Korean owner of a beauty supply shop. The indictment on a misdemeanor assault charge handed up Thursday accuses Keaundra Young, 24, of punching the owner of Uptown Beauty Supply on March 17 at the north Houston store. The jurors determined racial bias precipitated the attack against Jung Kim, 59, according to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. Young already faces a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after authorities said she tried to ram her car into Kims husband in the parking lot before peeling away. Young could be sentenced to up to a year in jail if shes convicted on the enhanced misdemeanor charge. Jonathan Stephenson, her attorney on the felony charge, said he wasnt aware of Young getting a lawyer yet in the hate crime case. Stephenson said she faces up to 20 years on the aggravated assault involving the car. Were still evaluating it and we look forward to having our day in court, he said. Daquiesha Rachel Williams, 22, is also charged with misdemeanor assault based on allegations she scratched the couples 29-year-old son, Sunjun Lee. The DA did not seek to prosecute her for a hate crime. The women, who are both Black, were initially charged in late March. Reached at the beauty shop Friday, the owners son said he and his mother are recovering from their injuries and the shock of the attack. He said a doctor told him he might need laser surgery for the wound on his face. The blows broke his mothers nose, he previously said. The family has been overwhelmed with the kindness of their customers who, like their employees, are mostly Black. Many have told them theyre praying for them. Korean-owned beauty supply shops are fairly prolific in predominantly Black neighborhoods in most major U.S. cities. The sons response to the hate crime charge was, I dont feel happy or sad. I just want them to get a punishment. He said he didnt want them to get more or less of a sentence than they deserved. The incident began when Kim tried to pick up wigs customers had knocked to the floor, the son said. His mother told them not to worry about it. But the women cursed at her and said Asian people should not be selling wigs to Black people and used racist language, victims said. They also said the business stole their money, the owners son said. Kim, who is a Korean national, asked the pair to leave, prompting the physical violence, her son said. Houston police reported 29 hate crimes in 2019, with 13 of those stemming from racial biases. Since January 2020, the DA has filed about a dozen cases, a spokesperson said. About half of those are pending. Houston police didnt initially investigate the altercation as a hate crime. Patrol officers at the scene did not make note of any racial slurs used during the attack in their offense report, which spokesperson Jodi Silva said may have been an oversight. The family has hired a security guard to stand outside their two-year-old business. Houston is a place where people look out for each other, where neighbors help neighbors, Ogg said. Allegations like this, where someone would attack and terrorize another person because of their race is counter to the cultural diversity we embrace. Samantha Ketterer contributed reporting. gabrielle.banks@chron.com New Delhi, April 16 : She has just written, directed and produced the short film 'Rubaru'. She is just back from Rajasthan where she was shooting a web-series for Hot Star. She is collaborating with her husband for writing some web series and developing a script -- a crime drama -- that which she plans to direct by the end of this year. But that's not all -- actor Tisca Chopra has also written her second book 'What's Up With Me', published by Westland Books. "I just can't sit still," she smiles. Calling the book, which is an attempt to demystify mensuration, a 'lockdown baby', Chopra recalls, "When Vidhi Bhargava from Westland called and asked me to do the book, I was apprehensive if I would be able to take out the the time. However, I realised that as opposed to the West, not much was available to read about the topic in South-East Asian countries. Shouldn't we have something where there is a very clear and precise discussion about menstruation? Sadly, it is something everybody is so hush-hush about. And I felt that there is a need for making it a commonplace thing, because it is just basic biology." Her second book after 'Acting Smart', this actor, filmmaker and producer feels that for her the process of writing is akin to her work on screen in many ways. "As an actor, directly or indirectly, I am talking to some people. Some of them whom I can imagine and some who I believe will enjoy this. I am hiding a little something here....will they find it? That is the sort of communication that I feel the people would notice. Most who follow my work are the ones looking for nuance. They find hidden little gems that one puts here and there. And I find that very interesting. I think it comes out of that sense. Writing is the same thing, but through words. Ultimately, it is about finding a connection." For someone who is known for her diverse roles, it is the first five minutes of narration that guides her instinct towards signing the dotted line. "Also what matters is the energy of the people who are doing it -- are they looking to make a project, or really invested in the story. For me, the story has always been important. It is like, I should want to tell that story. To a large extent, you have to be in love with the idea." Chopra, who produced and co-wrote the popular short film 'Chutney' feels not enough respect is given to the format. "Considering there were many wanting to make a short film with a phone and a camera, it used to be taken very lightly. A couple of films changed that narrative. And 'Chutney' was one of those films. It had been made very professionally, with professional actors and shot with a professional camera. To my mind, certain films lend themselves to a shorter format. However, that does not mean that they have to be given less respect." The actor, who recently finished shooting for a web-series for Hotstar has not taken kindly to the government's recent decision to regulate OTT platforms. "The move to regulate anything is always a choke-hold on the tellers, on the makers. I am not a big fan of that. Frankly, I have always felt that certification is the way, not censorship. What gives anybody the right to say, 'We know better what we should see?' rather than us ourselves. So, that's a problem for me. It has always been. And it always will be." Collaborating with her husband, Sanjay Chopra, a pilot with Air India who is also writing a series for Netflix, being produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, she says, "He is writing another one for Voot. And there is another one which is a collaboration with another wonderful producer. I sit with him sometimes. There are times when he calls me and asks - 'Okay, where should we go with this?' When I am stuck with a particular script, I ask him. We also write together sometimes." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... New Mexico reached another grim milestone of the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, as the state reached a total of 4,001 people who have died from the disease. The Department of Health reported four deaths and 264 new cases Friday. Todays sad milestone reminds us of what we have been through as a state and as a country, said Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins. This is not just another number they are our neighbors, our fellow New Mexicans. We grieve for them and their families. New Mexico announced the first coronavirus death on March 25, 2020. By the end of October, the state had recorded 1,000 virus deaths. On Dec. 15, New Mexico surpassed 2,000 COVID-19 deaths, and by Jan. 20, more than 3,000 residents had died from the disease. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The virus deaths announced Friday were a male in his 50s from Rio Arriba County, a male in his 60s from Bernalillo County, a male in his 60s from Cibola County and a male in his 70s from Dona Ana County. A total of 194,868 people have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and 176,357 are reported as recovered. Dr. Collins said residents should remain cautious as the virus continues to take its toll. While New Mexico is leading the nation in vaccinations and staying vigilant with COVID-safe practices, we are not out of the woods, Collins said. There is still much work still to be done. We need to remain vigilant if we are going to beat COVID. There are 116 people in New Mexico hospitalized with the virus. 16th April 2021 Runtime 16:34 Graham Lyon, Executive Chairman at Moroccan gas explorer and developer Sound Energy (LSE:SOU) spoke to Donald Leggatt at London South East. In a detailed interview he told us that without the Bond restructuring it would have "made it very difficult to raise funding"' for the Phase 2 pipeline element of the project. "That major obstacle is now overcome and we hope we've balanced the needs of not just the Noteholders but the shareholders themselves" he added. "I was able to meet up with ONHYM and Schlumberger and we have now commenced the FID process - there are several things which need to be in place before that's all complete, and I've also met the various partners that we are going to work with. The FID process will end up with 'a notice to proceed'." Graham also announced Afriquia Gaz, a subsidiary of AKWA Group as the downstream gas offtaker helping to finance the Phase-1 Micro LNG deal. He said: "We have made substantial progress in discussions, particularly over Easter. Afriquia Gaz is one of the major players in Gas and LNG distribution in Morocco and is confirmed as our business partner." So why are AG a good partner? "Afriquia Gaz have a large share of the Moroccan LPG market, they know the market, they are very strong financially and their major shareholder is one of the largest conglomerates in Morocco. The LNG market is new to Morocco and we can think of no better partner to penetrate the market with. They are in a strong position to provide their clients with LNG rather than LPG." In summary, Graham told us: "We have commenced the FID process, established the market with our fully funded solution, and have already been looking at Phase 2, the pipeline, which is being worked on in parallel. We have had several offers for financing of the pipeline, including the people who undertook the feed study, and we've got a bit more to raise. As I said, we've got to do this in digestible bites." A 27-year-old Ethiopian mother in the Tigray region of Ethiopia has spoken out after spending 11 days being raped and abused by soldiers. The unnamed woman said she was repeatedly raped by soldiers who forced nails, a rock, and other items into her vagina, and threatened her with a knife. The ordeal started while she was travelling home to her children when uniformed soldiers ordered her to get off a minibus travelling from Mekelle to the city of Adigrat because it was overloaded. A 27-year-old mother (pictured) in the Tigray region of Ethiopia has spoken out after spending 11 days being raped and abused by soldiers Once she had disembarked, the soldiers tied her up and marched her through fields to a bush camp. After 11 days of rapes and beatings in which the soldiers forced nails, cotton, plastic bags and a rock into her vagina, she was released and abandoned in the bush. Villagers found her unconscious and took her to a nearby hospital. Doctors said she was still bleeding from severe internal injuries and could not control her urine when she arrived in mid-February. She also had a broken leg and could not walk without a crutch or sit up for long periods. Doctors showed Reuters the bloodstained stone and two 3-inch nails they said they had removed from her body. The woman voiced concerns of a different kind while in hospital. She said she does not know how to get in touch which her two children, who she left with her mother, because the soldiers took her phone. She had left the family, who had less than a week's worth of bread left, to search for food when she was captured. 'I don't know if they're dead or alive,' she said. 'The enemy destroyed my life.' Doctors showed Reuters the bloodstained stone and two 3-inch nails they said they had removed from her body Eight other doctors at five public hospitals said most of the rape victims described their attackers as either Ethiopian government soldiers or Eritrean troops The woman, 27, is among hundreds who have reported that they were subjected to horrific sexual violence by Ethiopian and allied Eritrean soldiers after fighting broke out in November in the mountainous northern region of Ethiopia. Eight other doctors at five public hospitals said most of the rape victims described their attackers as either Ethiopian government soldiers or Eritrean troops. Dr Fasika Amdeselassie, a top public health official for the government-appointed interim administration in Tigray told Reuters: 'Women are being kept in sexual slavery. The perpetrators have to be investigated.' Fasika's comments - based on women's accounts - marks the first time an Ethiopian official has made a sexual slavery accusation in connection with the conflict in Tigray. At least 829 cases of sexual assault have been reported at the five hospitals since the conflict in Tigray began, though Fasika believes these cases are only the tip of the iceberg, especially because of the stigma surrounding rape. Dr Fasika Amdeselassie, a top public health official for the government-appointed interim administration in Tigray, believes these cases are only the tip of the iceberg, especially because of the stigma surrounding rape (pictured, a Tigrayan refugee and rape victim) Most of the women who have come forward are either pregnant or sustained severe physical injury from the rape. Doctors said many of the women they treated at hospital had vaginal or anal tears, sexually transmitted diseases or injuries that rendered them incontinent. Young girls have also been targeted with sexual violence, doctors said, sharing details of two cases involving 14-year-olds being sexually assaulted in front of their families. One of the girls was shot for trying to resist her assailant and as a result, was forced to have her hand and foot amputated. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed acknowledged in a speech to parliament on March 23 that 'atrocities were being committed by raping women' and promised that the perpetrators would be punished. But no charges have been announced by civilian or military prosecutors against any soldiers. The Eritreans have been helping Ethiopia's central government fight the region's former ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in the conflict which started in November. The Eritreans have been helping Ethiopia's central government fight the region's former ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in the conflict plaguing the Horn of Africa nation Thousands of Ethiopians have fled the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region for Sudan, crossing the Setit river on the border to get there To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! London: A Yemeni model who posed for photographs without wearing a hijab is facing prosecution by Houthi rebels who abducted her from the streets of Sanaa, the womans lawyer has claimed. Entesar al-Hammadi, 20, was arrested in the Yemeni capital in February with two friends as they travelled to a film set, according to Saudi media reports, which said the Houthis had accused her of violating Islamic dress codes. Entesar Al-Hammadi, a popular Yemeni model and actress, has been kidnapped by the Houthi militia in Sanaa. Credit:Social media Khaled Mohammed al-Kamal, Hammadis lawyer, told the website Arab News that his client was arrested without a warrant. He added that she was due to be questioned by a Houthi-controlled court on Sunday but did not give further details on the charges. Authorities in Hull, including the Massachusetts State Police Dive Team and the U.S. Coast Guard, are searching for a 41-year-old man who went into Hull Bay Thursday night to avoid speaking with police after a disturbance call. The search began at 11:35 p.m. and has continued through Friday morning, police said. The incident remains a search and rescue operation and involves Massachusetts State Police Dive Team, State Police Air Wing, Massachusetts Environmental Police and the United States Coast Guard. Police in Hull responded to a home Thursday night for a report of a disturbance regarding the misuse of a family vehicle, authorities said. It was the second time authorities responded to the home over the misuse of the vehicle, which was found in Boston, police said. Before police arrived, a 41-year-old man living at the home left the house during an argument, police said. At about 11:30 p.m., the man was located at Cadish Avenue, near M Street, standing with two other men, police said. Officers approached the men and the 41-year-old ran from officers and into the water, police said. Officers attempted to deescalate the situation and get him to come out of the water, authorities said, but the man went deeper into the bay until officers lost sight of him. The two other men were cooperative with officers, police said. Officers called the Hull Fire Department to begin a water search to locate the man. As of 11 a.m. Friday, the search is continuing and the Massachusetts Environmental Police have deployed a side scanning sonar vessel to assist in the search. Editors Note: Hull police listed an incorrect age for the man. This story has been updated with the correct age. The ousted Myanmar ambassador to the UK has pleaded with the British government for help as he faces eviction from his London residence. Kyaw Zwar Minn was locked out of his own embassy last week and forced to sleep in his car after the office was seized by a military attache on apparent orders from the countrys military regime. Mr Minn said on Thursday that he needed to be careful following the seizure of the embassy, which he said had come without warning. The former diplomat said earlier this week that the military regime, which seized power in a coup on 1 February, was furious at his refusal to acknowledge their authority. He has called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars elected leader, who was detained after the coup - which has led to weeks of protest and a violent retaliation from the regime, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Mr Minn also told the Guardian that his former staff delivered a letter ordering him to move out of his London residence by Thursday. However, speaking to reporters at his home in Hampstead, northwest London, this morning, he said he would not be leaving the property yet. Im not going to go today. Today is the last day, I need to stay here, he said. When asked what he would do over the next few days, Mr Minn replied: Who can tell? The last time they seized the embassy without warning, so I need to be careful. He then addressed the UK government directly, adding: Help me, help me, help me. On Wednesday, Mr Minn said some of his friends and relatives had been forced into hiding due to fear of retaliation from the military regime. The UKs Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office made an offer of safe haven to the former ambassador last week and condemned the move to bar him from entering the embassy. We pay tribute to the courage of Kyaw Zwar Minn in standing up for the people of Myanmar, it said in a statement. Given the bullying behaviour towards Kyaw Zwar Minn, we are seeking to ensure he can live safely in the United Kingdom while he decides his long-term future. Additional reporting by PA Bengaluru, April 16 : The Bengaluru police on Friday arrested a 38-year-old person for allegedly decamping with a bag containing gold ornaments and a Toyota Innova car in two different cases. Bengaluru, April 16 (IANS) The Bengaluru police on Friday arrested a 38-year-old person for allegedly decamping with a bag containing gold ornaments and a Toyota Innova car in two different cases. According to the police, the accused is identified as B. K. Siddappa aka Sanjay from Mandya district in Karnataka. The police said that Siddappa's modus operandi was simple. First he approached people with vehicles, especially SUV owners and asked them to give him employment as a driver. "Once he was appointed as driver, he used to earn their trust and leave that job and find work elsewhere. To find a job he has used - Covid job loss - as an excuse to find a new job. He got attracted to easy money by stealing in previous owners' houses. He was not caught until the first case of thievery was registered with us (Bagalgunte police station limits) on January 18, 2021," the police said. The police added that the couple who lodged complaint in January 2021, had lost a bag containing gold ornaments valued around Rs 18 lakh in August 18, 2020. "On that day, their only son was at home and this bag was kept under the cot in their bedroom. Sanjay had come to meet the owner of the bag and complainant Usha on that day. Usha who wanted to go out of her house to meet someone nearby by leaving both accused Siddappa and her son, Dhanush. Within an hour she returned but by then Siddappa had left home," the complaint claimed. After this, when Usha wanted to keep some items in a bag that contained gold ornaments, realised that the box containing her jewellery was missing. "Upon inquiry, her son revealed that Siddappa had entered their bedroom in her absence. Suspicion grew, but it was not concrete. After giving a lot of thoughts the couple decides to file a complaint only in January 2021 against him, such was the trust reposed on him by the couple," the police explained. The police arrested him based on intelligence tip off, and to their surprise, they also recovered a Toyota Innova car and a bike that was stolen from a travel agency in 2015 of Chikkabanavara. "Siddappa had worked here and earned his owners trust, so the suspicion never grew on him," the police said. The police have registered a case and investigations are on. A New York man was arrested and a loaded gun, drugs and cash were recovered after a crash on Route 440 in Bayonne Thursday afternoon, authorities said. Ryan Clough, 22, of Queens, initiated a pursuit from Bayonne police after he was pulled over at Kennedy Boulevard and 34th Street for driving erratically, Bayonne Capt. Eric Amato said. Clough then sped away from police after apparently attempting to conceal items in his car. He drove in the wrong direction on West 34th Street and continued driving dangerously, and police called off the pursuit for fear of risking injuries to bystanders. A short time later, at 5 p.m., police responded to a car crashing into a cement barrier in the area of Route 440 North and Lefante Way. Officers found Clough outside of his vehicle with a head injury as a result of the crash, Amato said. Police seized a loaded 9mm handgun equipped with a large capacity magazine loaded with 15 rounds that was on the ground next to Clough. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of two digital scales, 632.2 grams of Psilocybin (known as magic mushrooms), narcotic paraphernalia, and approximately $9,000 in suspected narcotics proceeds. Clough was taken into custody and transported to the Bayonne Medical Center to be treated for his injury. He was charged with possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm during a drug offense, possession of a large capacity magazine, multiple drug offenses, obstructing a governmental function and eluding. Click here to read the full article. The Vanishing is, as its name would suggest, a documentary film about a disappearance. Not just anyones disappearance, this project pitched at Visions du Reel (VdR)s Industry platform is about the disappearance of the filmmakers own mother. Senegalese director Rama Thiaw won the Fipresci Critics Prize at the 2016 Berlinale for her documentary The Revolution Wont Be Televised, earning her a name for producing politically-conscious documentaries. Now, Thiaw is embarking on her most personal project yet. Over August 10-15 2012, Thiaws mother Mariama flew from Paris to Dakar. She then allegedly traveled to a farm she owned, and then possibly went to Guinea. Nobody knows for certain. Mariama had disappeared, and no-one has heard of her since. In Oct. 2012, when many of her family members thought that Mariama was just traveling or resting somewhere, Rama Thiaw had a dream, a dream that her mother was gone and would never be coming back to the land of the living. This dream would be the starting point to her film The Vanishing, a visual letter and homage to her mother, confronting issues of racism, colonialism and misogyny to tell the plight of modern Senegalese women. 29 film projects were chosen to participate in the VdR-Pitching platform, as part of the Swiss festivals 52nd edition, running on April 15-25 and online for the second consecutive year, though with an on-site elements just added as Switzerland relaxes its health protocols VdR-Pitching offers filmmakers and producers the opportunity to find funders, distributors and partners to their developing projects. For The Vanishing, Rama Thiaw will be looking for financing and co-producing partners from all countries, especially from Denmark, Canada and Switzerland. Shes especially looking for funders from these countries as award-winning Danish editor Niels Pagh Andersen is working on the film, who gained fame for his editing on The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence by Joshua Oppenheimer. As for Canada, its because they have a great culture of animation, a method Thiaw will be using exhaustively to adapt her mother to the screen. We already have the talent. Now were looking for co-producers to raise funding in these countries, she said. 12% of financing is currently in place. Shooting is expected to begin in 2022, and the film to be released in late 2023. The Vanishing is produced by Thiaws Senegalese company Boul Falle Images with Yanis Gaye, and co-produced by the French company Films de Force Majeure, that has another film featured at VdR, Little Palestine, Diary of a Siege, recently acquired by Lightdox, Though Thiaw is hoping to make the films production as international as possible, she said it was important that Senegal remains the main producing country for copyright reasons. The films of renowned Senegalese directors Djibril Diop Mambety and Ousmane Sembene, she said, were produced and are now owned by European film companies, preventing Senegal from having its own film institute. We want to be the masters of our own cinema, she said. Making a documentary film about her own mothers disappearance is no easy task, which is why Thiaw waited nine years to begin such a project. I didnt want to start making this film if I didnt feel any distance. Im not doing this for therapy. Im making a film, so I need to judge my mother as a character, she said. Thiaw will be drawing on her multidisciplinary skills to draw her mothers portrait. Beyond directing, she is also doing animations and illustrations, plus voicing a letter she wrote for her mother. The letter aims to carry the films narrative to show the complex life of Mariama, filled with joy and sadness. The Vanishing will retrace Mariamas life in Senegal, Mauritania, France, Germany and Switzerland, chronicling both her spiritual and political sides. Born in April 1960, on the same month as Senegals independence, Mariama was jailed and then expelled from Senegal to France because of her political activism. Rama Thiaw will be doing interviews with people Mariama knew in every country she lived in, using her mothers life to tell the story of the free Senegalese women post-colonization the first-generation of immigrants who moved to Europe and carried the pioneering ideas of Pan-Africanism. On the notion of vanishing, Thiaw said that the story is not purely about her mother, but more broadly about the invisibility of black women. Making a film on this topic would be a way for Thiaw to fight against that invisibility. There are six legal inquiries, Thiaw said regarding her mothers disappearance, but none of them have really started, because nobodys interested in the disappearance of an old, Senegalese common woman Shes not this blonde teenager in South America or whatever. For me, that says a lot about what lives matter. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Kilkenny County Council, in conjunction with Kildare County Council under a Section 85 Agreement of the Local Government Act, 2001, are pleased to announce that the contract for construction of Castlecomer Footbridge has been awarded to Kenny Civils & Plant Ltd. The bridge is being funded through Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The proposed footbridge is a two-span steel structure which will traverse the River Dinin adjacent to the existing masonry arch bridge on the N78. The construction of the footbridge seeks to improve pedestrian safety at this location while also providing an inviting link between the Discovery Park and the town. The main construction works will be undertaken during the upcoming summer months and the bridge is expected to open in November 2021. Cllr Andrew McGuinness, Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council welcomed the announcement as: "The fulfilment of a long-standing desire for residents & visitors to Castlecomer and looking forward to the bridge opening towards the end of 2021." Cllr Michael McCarthy, Chairman of the Municipal District of Castlecomer commented: The bridge is most welcome and will improve access and safety for the locals and visitors and provide a boost to the local economy. A health worker loads syringes with the vaccine on the first day of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine being made available to residents at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 11, 2021. (Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo) Family Blames COVID-19 Vaccine After Healthy Father of 7 Reportedly Suffers Stroke The family of a Mississippi man said he experienced a blood clot and stroke after receiving the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Brad Malagarie, 43, of St. Martin, suffered a stroke after he got the J&J shot, his family members told local station WLOX. They called me and said he had that vaccine and something is wrong, we think its a stroke, Malagaries aunt, Celeste Foster OKeefe, told the news outlet. Malagarie, a father of seven, was taken to the hospital, and officials said that he had a stroke due to a blood clot in his brain, according to his family members. I said, Be sure to tell the doctors he took that J & J vaccine and that, to me, is what caused his stroke,' OKeefe said, adding that Malagarie took medication for his blood pressure but was a young and healthy man. She said that her family member is now paralyzed on the right side of his body. The Epoch Times has contacted Johnson & Johnson and the Mississippi Department of Health for comment. He cant talk now and he cant walk. Hes paralyzed on the right side. He knows who we are and he will just cry when he sees us, OKeefe said, adding that doctors informed him that its not clear how long it will take to recover. We want him to be able to communicate, to be able to walk and talk again, even if its not perfect, OKeefe remarked, reported WLOX. As of this week, Malagarie is in critical, yet stable, condition. The Mississippi State Health Department and a local vaccine doctor, Lisa Morici, said that Malagaries case appears to be different than the seven cases that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) cited for recommending a pause of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine, the report said. The Mississippi State Department of Health is saddened to hear about the recent illness of Mr. Malagarie and wishes him well. The Agency is certainly investigating the situation, the state Department of Health said in a statement after his medical condition was reported. They stressed: It is difficult, if not impossible, to assign a cause and effect at this time. It is important to note that strokes are not associated with this vaccine instead a rare clotting syndrome has been identified. Further, adverse reaction has been between cited between six and 13 days after the vaccine was administered. Of the six noted cases, all are women between the age of 18 and 38. Yesterday, the Mississippi State Department of Health paused all administration of the J and J vaccine until further guidance from the FDA. As of Monday, nearly 7 million doses of the J&J single-shot vaccine have been administered in the United States so far, officials said, and they have added that the risk of developing blood clots is very low. FILE - In this March 30, 2021 file photo, the Ever Given, a Panama-flagged cargo ship, is seen in Egypt's Great Bitter Lake. Egyptian authorities confiscated the massive cargo vessel that blocked the Suez Canal last month amid a financial dispute with its owner, the canal chief and a judicial official said Tuesday, April 13, 2021. A far-right sympathiser who called for a race war, shared pictures of his tattoo containing a Nazi emblem and set up an Apple ID under the name Adolf Hitler has today been convicted of hate crime offences. Tobias Powell, 32, used Twitter to claim a 'civil war' was needed 'to stop the ethnic suicide of white people'. In a series of tweets, Powell, from the quiet coastal village of Pagham, near Bognor Regis, West Sussex, showed support for banned neo-Nazi group National Action. He also posted about MP Jo Cox - who was murdered in 2016 by neo-Nazi killer Thomas Mair - describing the Labour politician as an 'alleged open traitor'. When anti-terrorism police raided Powell's home the found literature on white supremacy and a number of electronic devices. They also found Powell had set up his Apple ID name as Adolf Hitler, talked on Twitter about White Power and had penned an email to the then Prime Minister Theresa May calling her a snake in a message titled 'Brexit Stitch up'. Tobias Powell, 32, used Twitter to claim a 'civil war' was needed 'to stop the ethnic suicide of white people'. He is due to be sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court (pictured) next month Powell also wrote a letter to his local MP Nick Gibbs about his concerns over Sharia Law - a religious law forming part of the Islamic tradition. Following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) he has now been found guilty of a series of hate crime offences. He was found guilty of four counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour intending thereby to stir up racial hatred at Worthing Magistrates Court today. The court heard Powell published a series of social media posts between July and October 2018, which showed support to right wing ideology and had racist connotations. He was arrested in February 2019, when police carried out a search of his property. Detective Chief Superintendent Kath Barnes, Head of CTPSE, said: 'The evidence gathered during the investigation showed that Powell had some very unacceptable views. 'Whilst this was not a terrorism case, the nature of the rhetoric Powell had shared on social media, meant that it was only right for specialist officers from Counter Terrorism Policing to conduct a thorough investigation. 'We know there is a fine line between hate speech and terrorism. 'Showing support for terrorist organisations is not acceptable and if you do that, you should expect to be investigated by us.' She added: 'Groups that do not meet the threshold for proscription are not free to spread hatred, fund terrorist activity or incite violence as they please. Powell shared tweets showing support for banned neo-Nazi group National Action, who were officially proscribed as a terrorist organisation in December 2016 following joint working between government agencies and police. 'The police have comprehensive powers to take action against individuals under the criminal law.' Chief Inspector Jon Carter, Arun and Chichester District Commander for Sussex Police, said: 'This case shows the importance of thorough investigation of any use of the Internet to spread hate and dangerous material. 'The public can be reassured that there are systems in place to follow up all such reports, but it is also important to reassure local people that this was a very isolated matter for this area, and that however obnoxious Powell's language was, there was no reference to or threat to the local community.' Powell is due to be sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on 14 May. National Action were officially proscribed as a terrorist organisation in December 2016 following joint working between government agencies and police. They were the first right wing group to be proscribed since the British Union of Fascists in 1940. Two further related groups were proscribed in 2017, and a third in March 2020. Also in March 2020 Sonnenkrieg Division (SKD) became the second right wing terrorism group to be placed on the list. It is a criminal offence to be a member or to demonstrate support for these groups. I n little more than a year, the pandemic has revolutionized the way we experience watches. We have seen the appearance of the first major virtual horological fair with Watches & Wonders, bringing together some 40 watch brands around a common event. We spend our days watching presentations on Zoom, Teams or Skype. New applications such as Clubhouse, based on more or less spontaneous audio conversation rooms, have taken off in a big way. CEOs have turned into Instagram Live session hosts. The notion of the time zone has taken on new meaning. By dint of seeing our reflections on screen every day, we have discovered new physical insecurities. We still wear shirts, if not trousers. And after a year or so, we have finally learned how to put up background images instead of revealing the intimacy of our bedrooms! Just in time for Watches and Wonders, IWC launched a smartphone app featuring a virtual watch try-on based on Augmented Reality (AR). In the watch industry, it is now accepted fact that some customers are quite prepared to wire tens or even hundreds of thousands of francs online, without having seen their new timepiece physically first. The waiting lists for Philippe Dufours Simplicity or Patek Philippes Nautilus further reinforce the phenomenon. This all makes it even more necessary for brands to be able to succeed in convincing people from a distance. Some opt for corporate videos, but the warmth of physical presence is missing. Others have gone much further. Democratising augmented reality How can physical reality be combined with virtual reality? VR and AR solutions have been in development for several years, but the pandemic has accelerated their adoption by watch brands. Longines, for example, for the launch of its new 2021 models, sent an electronic tablet to members of the press, enabling them to view the new models on their wrists, while wearing an adapted bracelet at home. Social networks, the new battlefield of image, vanity and brand value, are also beginning to offer their own solutions. Watchmaking startup Hegid has experimented with Facebooks solution, offering a Wristwatch AR effect. Using an augmented reality filter with a smartphone camera, it is possible to see different configurations of Hegid watches on the wrist. To achieve this, the brand imports 3D models of the watches it wants to showcase with its filter and develops an operating scenario using the Spark AR language (Facebooks augmented reality software) while incorporating the social networks detection technology. The democratisation of this technology is under way. But the results are not quite there yet, and the potential for improvement still seems enormous. Some customers are quite prepared to wire tens or even hundreds of thousands of francs online, without having seen their new timepiece physically first. I think that this technology, which does not require downloading a new application, is very promis- ing for watches and jewellery, says Emeric Delalandre, the founder of Hegid. Of course, the hand detection technology is not yet optimal but I am convinced that everything will progress very quickly. Lets not forget that hand recognition technology has only just been introduced on Facebook. E-commerce platform Chrono24 launched its Virtual Showroom app in 2018. The entrepreneur continues: Given the rapid optimisations of face filters, which are becoming more and more precise, I personally took the subject in hand and made the choice to launch this version, which is certainly imperfect, but unprecedented, before all the other brands started. It was also a small personal challenge: I am an engineer by training but had not yet tackled the development of augmented reality applications. Jaeger-LeCoultre experiments with Google Jaeger-LeCoultre, meanwhile, has agreed to beta-test Googles new augmented reality feature. When searching for the Master Control Chronograph Calendar on Google via a mobile device, for instance, a new option appears in the search results: View in 3D. This functionality enables users to see a 360 representation of the watch at scale, against a neutral background or embedded in their own environment. The collaboration is part of a global partnership between RichemontYNAP Group and Google that aims to accelerate the luxury groups digital transformation through the use of technology. Again, the results show significant room for improvement that is, after all, the purpose of a beta version. But the pioneering adoption of this technology by a major watchmaker shows that augmented reality, once perfected, could become a new everyday tool for brands, retailers and customers. The 3D option offered for some Jaeger-LeCoultre models via Google In fact, Jaeger-LeCoultre launched this augmented reality and 3D functionality on its website for the introduction of its Master Control collection, back in April 2020. Other brands also offer AR solutions; IWC does so for its Portugieser line, and Parmigiani Fleurier has an Instagram filter. Retailers and e-commerce specialists such as WatchBox or Chrono24 are also on board. It is likely that initiatives in this area will multiply. Beyond watchmaking, the entire fashion and luxury industry is affected. Among the solutions on the horizon is that of Wannaby, a start-up launched in 2017 by a former Google employee, which specialises in augmented reality. Wannaby is already working with fashion brands such as Gucci, Farfetch and Puma and is aiming for a 200% growth rate this year, as Fashion Network reports. A solution dedicated to the watch industry, Wanna Watch, is included in its range of solutions. Breitling watches by subscription Breitling has come up with another way of combining physical and virtual experiences, launching its #BreitlingSelect programme in the United States in March 2021. This subscription service allows customers, once registered on the brands website, to try on a watch at home before deciding to buy. The programme offers subscribers the opportunity to try up to three Breitling watches consecutively within a 12-month period, based on their selection from a dedicated portfolio of watches. Customers then have the opportunity to purchase one of the three watches as part of a special offer. To participate in this service, they pay a $450 subscription fee and then $129 monthly. The new #BreitlingSelect subscription service allows customers to try on a watch at home before deciding to buy. This programme is a natural extension of our ambitious digital strategy, most visible through our e-commerce and our blockchain-enabled digital passport, says Breitlings CEO Georges Kern. A system of points accumulated over the subscription period provides access to a special offer on the models tested. After the US, the programme will be extended to European countries. Keeping up with reality Swiss photographer Denis Hayoun, head of Diode studio and one of the watch industrys most sought-after photographers, refuses to try to simply mimic reality online. Rather, he says, it is a matter of taking advantage of digital technology to achieve experiences that are impossible to achieve in the physical world. By turning the equation around, he intends to bring a new, more professional dimension to what is still a limited digital experience. With his sharp eye as an image specialist, the photographer believes that AR as it is currently deployed is not capable of producing the best experience. Basically, it is not the real model that we are shown, but a representation. The result will therefore not be as high quality as it would be with the original. Of course, this does not prevent us from augmenting this reality, but we still have to start from the real object. Swiss photographer Denis Hayoun (right) has joined forces with video specialist Fabrice Rabhi to launch a mini-TV studio designed to facilitate online interactions between watch retailers (and others) and their end customers and collectors. For him, the process starts with a mastery of lighting. After all, the watchmaking industry today is about selling image above everything else... and few industries place such emphasis on such precise details within very small dimensions. However, each to their own speciality: a salesman is not a cameraman, let alone a lighting technician! And Denis Hayoun points out a paradox: At each watch launch, the marketing requirements of the brands are very high. The official photos, videos and 3D films must meet the most exacting standards. And yet in recent months, with social distancing, at the end of the chain, where most sales are still made, it is more often than not with an iPhone photo, or a simple amateur video of the watch on the counter, not always fantastic quality, that contact is established with the end customer. This is the reality on the ground in the boutiques. A portable mini-studio The photographer has joined forces with video specialist Fabrice Rabhi (Le Truc), who is also well known in the Swiss watchmaking industry, to provide watchmakers (and others) with a turnkey mini-TV studio. The concept, called The ShowCase, is intended to provide a personalised, ultra-qualitative and enriched presentation of the product, with simultaneous intimate visual contact with the customer. In concrete terms, a patented light capsule provides a hermetic and homogeneous environment around the product. The tool comes either in the form of a portable module, weighing less than 8 kg and about 50 cm in length, which can be placed on a table in a shop and stored just as easily, or as a module integrated into the boutiques displays, so that users dont have to set it up and take it down for each session. Inside this capsule, LED lights on either side illuminate a small space where the watch can be housed and manipulated in any position, under the eye of a fixed high-resolution camera, allowing all the details to be shown within a few centimetres. On the upper level of this mini-studio, a second fixed camera films the salesperson, who can then interact with his or her interlocutor. The ShowCase introduces a turnkey mini-TV studio for the watch community. It is only at this point that the actual augmented reality comes into play, with the possibility of adding content (photos, videos, 3D) during the presentation. The dedicated application is based on the Microsoft Teams web conferencing tool and can be integrated with an internal CRM tool to facilitate data flow and sales operations. The standard ShowCase solution is priced at below 10,000 francs. In addition to boutiques, this tool is also intended for brand press services, training seminars, after-sales departments and auction houses, says Denis Hayoun. It allows everyone to concentrate on their message, without having to worry about lighting, background, image sharpness and other technical issues. Its just like what you would do in the physical world, with the added bonus of digital tools. Remote visit of an IWC boutique thanks to virtual reality When A. Lange & Sohne becomes a photography studio Before the pandemic, a growing number of brands had already begun equipping themselves with expertise in terms of filming, podcasting, and producing promotional clips to the point of developing ambitions of becoming de facto media, just like some retailers or e-commerce players with their own studios, such as The Hour Glass or WatchBox. As a recent example, A. Lange & Sohne transformed itself into a remote-control photo studio for the duration of the 2021 Watches and Wonders digital watch show. The German brand offered journalists the opportunity to schedule photo sessions remotely. A photographer took shots in accordance with the live instructions of each journalist, who could follow the session either directly through the photographers lens or with a wider field of vision. Two options were offered for each one-hour photo session: a lifestyle shoot or a professional environment, from two different studios in Berlin. We are at the very beginning of a long journey, which will revolutionise the way timepieces are presented, perceived and... augmented. Its yet another way of mixing physical and digital, which demonstrates the multiplicity of possible combinations of these two realities. Which solution will prevail in the longer term? There seems little doubt that we are at the very beginning of a long journey, which will revolutionise the way timepieces are presented, perceived and... augmented. The Brandon Police Service conducted an appropriate and professional investigation into Christine Mitchells death, the provinces justice minister said in a Thursday morning statement. Advertisement Advertise With Us The Brandon Police Service conducted an "appropriate and professional investigation into Christine Mitchells death," the provinces justice minister said in a Thursday morning statement. The RCMP conducted a review into the circumstances surrounding Mitchells suspected July 2019 overdose death at former Brandon city manager Rod Sages house, including the initial BPS investigation. That report was completed and forwarded to Justice Minister and Attorney General Cameron Friesens office in early 2021. Christine Mitchell (inset) reportedly died in hospital on July 10 following an overdose at the house of Brandon city manager Rod Sage, pictured during a city council meeting. The Brandon Police Service conducted an appropriate and professional investigation into Christine Mitchells death, Justice Minister Cameron Friesen said in a Thursday morning statement. (File) There was no wrongdoing in the initial BPS investigation, according to Friesen. "The review also noted concerns with the timeliness of reporting the overdose death to the police and Office of the Medical Examiner. This gap in reporting was due to a misinterpretation of the Fatality Inquiries Act by the Brandon Regional Health Centre," the statement reads. Brandon Police Service public information officer Sgt. Kirby Sararas told The Brandon Sun in October 2019 officers became aware of Mitchells death on July 11, 2019 from a member of the public and opened an investigation immediately. The BPS was also first to advise the chief medical examiners office of the sudden death, Sararas said. Friesens Thursday statement further states: "The Office of the Medical Examiner and Prairie Mountain Health have reviewed the requirements under the Fatality Inquiries Act and the Brandon Regional Health Centre has updated its policies to reflect these requirements." The statement does not reference Sage directly. The minister also expressed condolences to Mitchells family. Brandon police deputy chief Randy Lewis said he was not in a position to speak on the results of the investigation, according to a statement sent to the Sun. "Given that the investigation was completed by the RCMP, I am not in a position to speak to the results of the investigation. However, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the investigative team from the Brandon Police Service who conducted the initial investigation prior to handoff to the RCMP on their thorough and professional work." Sararas said she also did not have any more information on the police services initial investigation into the matter. Tara Seel, a spokesperson for the Manitoba RCMP, referred the Sun to the province for comment on the report. The Sun asked for an interview with Friesen on the report but was told he was not available on Thursday. A spokesperson for Manitoba Justice said an investigation was not submitted to Manitoba Prosecution Services for consideration of charges against Sage. The Sun also attempted to obtain a copy of the RCMP report into Mitchells death, but the request was denied by the Department of Justice under multiple sections of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. In a response letter, the Department of Justice cited a wide variety of exemptions to deny the request, including "disclosure deemed to be an unreasonable invasion of privacy," "disclosure harmful to relations between Manitoba and other governments," and "disclosure harmful to law enforcement or legal proceedings." Sage formally retired from his role as Brandon city manager in February 2020 after being on paid leave since mid-October 2019, after details of Mitchells death came to light. When reached on Thursday, Mayor Rick Chrest said the RCMPs independent investigation was "constructive for all." "We welcomed the review requested by the minister in October of 2019 and now see it has concluded and that the RCMP review fwor the Department of Justice has found that the Brandon Police Service had conducted an appropriate and professional investigation," he said in an emailed statement. Attempts to reach Doreen Mitchell, Christines mother, were also not successful Thursday. The City of Brandon hired a new city manager, Ron Bowles, in February after a months-long search. Bowles is scheduled to start in the role at the end of April. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ UPenn refuses to reschedule commencement ceremony on Shavuot (JNS) The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia said it will not move the date of its commencement ceremony, which is set to take place during the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, despite a petition to reschedule the event to accommodate those who celebrate the Jewish holiday. According to the universitys student-run publication, The Daily Pennsylvanian, nearly 40 seniors who identify as Orthodox Jewish received an email about the decision on March 24. Vice president and university secretary Medha Narvekar, and vice presi... CNN correspondent Rene Marsh has revealed that her two-year-old son Blake has died of pediatric brain cancer, while paying tribute to the 'inspirational' toddler in a heart-breaking Instagram post. The 38-year-old, who is based in Washington, D.C., shared the devastating news on Thursday evening, 16 months after her son was first diagnosed with the disease. Posting a series of sweet photos of her 'dear sweet Blake aka "Blakey"', Rene wrote of how her son, who died on April 14, has 'forever changed' her, saying: 'In your 25 months on earth you taught me how much strength I had stored up in reserve that I didnt know I had. 'You taught me endurance. You taught me a depth of love I have never experienced. You inspired me to keep going when I wanted to give up. You helped me prioritize what is truly important in this life. Heartbroken: CNN correspondent Rene Marsh's two-year-old son Blake has died of pediatric brain cancer Grief: The 38-year-old journalist shared the devastating news on Thursday evening, revealing that her son passed away on April 14, one month after his second birthday Memory: Rene paid tribute to her son on Instagram, where she shared several images of Blake, while honoring his memory in a heart-rending caption 'I am forever changed because of you, my son. I feel blessed and honored to have been your mom. I wish we had more time together but Im grateful for the time we had.' The on-screen journalist went on to praise her son's 'ability to bring laughter and happiness into whatever room he was in', while sharing Blake's love of classical music, dancing, and spending time outside. 'Your party tricks included telling me no, no matter what question I asked, hugging and kissing on demand and your dance moves were top notch,' she wrote. 'The good times we shared are forever in my heart. You loved being outside. You loved cruising the neighborhood in your drop top electric car, with the music on as you tried so hard to snap your fingers. You loved humming classical music. Your favorite was Mozarts Serenade no. 13.' Rene first revealed that Blake was battling pediatric brain cancer in February 2020, two months after she and her husband Kedric Payne were given the devastating diagnosis by their son's doctors. At the time, she revealed that doctors had found 'a fast growing tumor' in the center of Blake's brain, and soon after, her son underwent brain surgery to try and remove the malignant growth, before starting a course of chemotherapy treatment. Blake was in remission for six months, and 'even rang the bell symbolizing his last chemo treatment', Rene revealed in an opinion piece for CNN, but in November of last year, doctors revealed that the 'cancer was back, and it had spread'. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Rene opened up about the devastating toll that her son's cancer battle had on their family, while calling for people to wear face masks in order to protect anyone who is at greater risk from the illness, like her son. Tribute: 'In your 25 months on earth you taught me how much strength I had stored up in reserve that I didnt know I had,' she wrote Battle: Rene first revealed Blake was battling brain cancer in February 2020, two months after she and husband Kedric Payne were given the devastating diagnosis by their son's doctors Fighter: After his diagnosis, Blake underwent brain surgery and several rounds of chemo In her Instagram post, she spoke of the agony of her grief, explaining that she is mourning not only the loss of her beloved son, but the loss of her motherhood. 'I didnt just lose you Blakey, I lost all the dreams and hopes that a mom has for a son,' she shared. 'I lost my motherhood and Im mourning it all.' Rene added that she will dedicate herself to 'fighting pediatric cancer for the rest of her life' in order to ensure that no other parents have to endure the 'unbearable pain' of losing a child, and to 'forever honor' her late son. 'I am dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer for the rest of my life. I will do it not just to spare other parents from this unbearable pain but I will do it to forever honor you, Blake,' she said. 'Your life was not in vain my sweet angel. Mommy loves you and I look forward to holding and kissing you when we meet again.' In a post shared on Twitter hours later, Rene paid tribute to the doctors at Johns Hopkins hospital, who 'cared for and loved Blake over the past year and a half'. When Rene first revealed that her son was battling brain cancer, she admitted that she had been 'very reluctant' to share details about the 'deeply personal life circumstance', but had come to the realization that opening up about it publicly 'could do more good than harm'. Upset: In her Instagram post, Rene praised her son's 'ability to bring laughter and happiness into whatever room he was in' 'I am forever changed because of you, my son. I feel blessed and honored to have been your mom. I wish we had more time together but Im grateful for the time we had,' she wrote Battle: Rene added that she will dedicate herself to 'fighting pediatric cancer for the rest of her life' to 'forever honor' her son, and ensure no other parents have to lose their own child Over the next 22 months, Rene shared several updates on her son's condition, and in February of this year, she once again warned of the devastating impact that COVID-19 has at on at-risk children like Blake. 'As a mother who is watching her toddler fight brain cancer, I have had to confront a sad realization,' she wrote in a piece for CNN. Work: The CNN correspondent covers government regulation and transportation for the network 'Vulnerable children, like the ones I see here on the pediatric oncology floor every day, may become collateral damage of this pandemic without ever contracting the virus.' Rene shared a post about the 'signs of childhood cancer' on her Instagram Stories on Thursday evening, explaining that parents can use the word 'labybirds' to remember what to look out for. The symptoms include: loss of weight, sickness or nausea, discomfort or pain, disturbance in vision, headaches, persistent swelling or lumps, and recurrent high fevers. According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, around 15,780 children between the ages of birth and 19 are diagnosed with cancer in the US each year. Brain and spinal cord tumors are the second most common cancers in children after leukemia, and the account for one in every four childhood cancer cases. The American Cancer Society estimates that around 4,000 brain and spinal cord tumors are diagnosed each year in children and teens. 'Malignant brain and spinal cord tumors are slightly more common in boys, while non-malignant tumors are slightly more common in girls,' the organization adds. Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer San Antonians will have a chance to properly pay their respects to Daunte Wright Sr., the 20-year-old Black man killed by police in Minnesota last weekend. Digna Candelario, a San Antonio resident and mother of one, announced plans to host a peaceful gathering at Travis Park for Wright, who was shot and killed by former officer Kim Potter during a traffic stop. The event, which Candelario said will be a joint rally and memorial, will also be a chance for locals to mourn Marvin Scott, a Black man who died in police custody last month. Kyiv is ready for any scenario in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, calling on Russia to go back to substantive diplomatic talk. "We are ready for a development of events, take into account the fact that the war against us has been going on since 2014. And it is a cruel war using drones, artillery, armored vehicles, and mines. [] Since the start of my work in the post of president we have done everything possible to intensify the talks and look for a peaceful solution. We are always ready to go back to substantive diplomatic talk, we encourage Russia to do the same," Zelensky said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the text of which is available for viewing on the presidential site. According to the head of state, "the primary protection is to prevent the expansion of aggression, so Ukraine needs the most effective support." Zelensky said in the past three months alone, Ukraine has lost about 30 military personnel, and civilians in Donbas continue to die. "On the eastern border and in the Crimea, Russia has deployed about 80,000 troops, to which should be added another 30,000 pro-Russian militants and the official military of Russia in Donbas. It is definitely not in the interests of Europe that such a military potential could be used for its intended purpose, like this Moscow will want. The expansion of the war can only bring new suffering and problems to everyone, and no one will benefit from it," he said. The president also expressed the hope that it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the situation and the "expansion of the war." "What is needed for this? Realism of positions, fairness in negotiations and a willingness to fulfill the obligations that are taken by the parties. Ukraine offers just such an approach. The main thing is that Russia does the same," Zelensky said. New Delhi: Employees may soon see several changes in their work timing, pay structure, provident fund and gratuity. As per latest media reports the changes in pay structure will mean reduced pay while there will be hike in PF and gratuity portions. Fresh media reports said employees Gratuity and provident fund (PF) will increase while their take home salary will decrease. Under the new definition of wage, allowances will be a maximum of 50 percent of the total salary. Employees whose basic salary is already 50 per cent or more will not be affected. But those with basic salary less than 50 per cent will see a change in their take-home salary. Due to the increase in basic salary, the share towards PF will also increase, since it is calculated on the basis of basic salary. The new rules will likely affect the salary structure of high-paid employees with a high allowance component. Increasing PF and gratuity could also increase the cost of companies as their contribution towards these would increase proportionately. Wage Code Bill (Code on Wages Bill 2019) was passed in Parliament in 2019. The government wanted to implement the rules in the new labor code from April 1, but had to defer it to allow more time to states to prepare and also to companies for changing their HR policy. The new draft law proposes to increase the maximum working hours to 12. The draft rules of the OSCH code also provide that if an employee works additionally for 15 to 30 minutes, it will be counted as overtime by 30 minutes. As per current rules, if an employee has worked less than 30 minutes, it is not considered overtime. The Draft rules also prohibit any employee from working continuously for more than 5 hours. It says that an employee, who has worked for 5 hours straight, must be given a rest of half an hour. Meanwhile, an increase in contribution to gratuity and PF will increase the amount received after retirement. This will make it easier for maximum retirement benefits. Live TV #mute But interviews with homeless advocacy groups, lawmakers, officials at different shelter providers as well as shelter employees show that housing is a major challenge for many workers. Though they typically earn more than the citys $15-an-hour minimum wage, finding housing is still a stretch when the median rent for an apartment in New York is roughly $2,500 a month, according to a recent analysis by StreetEasy, a real estate website that tracks housing data. Christine C. Quinn, the president and chief executive of Win, which operates 13 shelters in the city, said some of her organizations residents worked in shelters. Being a security guard or a maintenance worker at a homeless shelter does not guarantee you wont live in a homeless shelter, Ms. Quinn said. I hear about it quite often and just with complete transparency, that was my own situation, said Donald Whitehead Jr., the executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, who began working in homeless services after several years of being homeless himself. New York has the biggest shelter system in the country, mainly because it is under a longstanding legal obligation to provide housing to anyone who needs it. A work force of about 2,100 municipal employees and another 9,000 to 10,000 workers for nonprofit providers staff the citys nearly 450 shelters, and the relatively low-paying jobs include those in security, maintenance and food service. About 50,000 people currently live in the citys primary shelter system, according to the Department of Homeless Services. MADRAS The 150-foot-tall balloon, made of plastic thinner than a sandwich bag, rose above the high desert at sunrise with the goal of helping future missions in space. The helium-filled balloon shined in the early morning sunlight as it disappeared into the atmosphere, on its way to an altitude of 110,000 feet. A NASA-sponsored research team launched the balloon at about 6 a.m. Thursday from the Madras Municipal Airport. The balloon carried a 100-pound cone-shaped device that later in the day was dropped with a parachute over the high desert east of Prineville. That went well, said Kevin Tucker, president at Near Space Corp., who oversaw the test flight. Its always interesting. The wind was actually changing, and thats a big deal. We were very careful about that. Tuckers company, which produces balloons for scientific tests, partnered with researchers from the University of Kentucky to launch the balloon and test a delivery system that could be used to return individual items from the International Space Station back to Earth. The team tracked the balloons flight Thursday and recovered the dropped device. The Kentucky team will be gathering a lot of data as this travels from 110,000 feet back to the Earths surface, Tucker said before the flight. The university engineering students call the delivery system the Kentucky Re-Entry Universal Payload System and their research was sponsored by NASAs Flight Opportunities program, said NASA spokesperson Megan Person. The flight aims to enable testing of the technologys electronics and communications systems in preparation for further research as part of a commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station later this year, Person said. NASA regularly identifies projects, such as the balloon launch, and connects research teams with companies and locations to help generate a test. In this case, NASA connected the Kentucky students with Tuckers company and coordinated with the Madras airport. Todays successful flight is one example of how the Flight Opportunities program helps advance promising space technologies before they move on to riskier orbital missions, said Paul De Leon, NASA Flight Opportunities campaign manager. Tucker and his crew originally scheduled the balloon flight Wednesday, but called it off because of high winds. On Thursday, conditions were mild enough to allow the launch. Tucker, who runs his company out of Tillamook, said Madras was the ideal location for the balloon flight. The open spaces around Madras offer several options to drop and retrieve the device from the balloon, Tucker said. In addition, the Madras airport is smaller and quieter than other commercial airports in the region, which allows the team to work without interfering with other aircraft. The team still has to coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport doesnt have a huge amount of traffic, Tucker said. We are not causing mayhem if we do a launch. Through local Affiliates , the mobile tour will engage Latino communities throughout Houston; Dallas/Fort Worth; the Rio Grande Valley; El Paso, Texas; Phoenix; Yuma, Arizona//Coachella Valley, CA; and Fresno/Stockton, California. Locations will include Hispanic grocery stores, strip mall centers, food banks, flea markets and current and former Melrose Family Fashions locations. For its first weekend starting this Friday, the Houston tour will be at the Melrose, 13347 I-10 East Freeway, #9C from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday it moves to the Sunny Flea Market, 8705 Airline Drive from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A recent poll conducted by UnidosUS in partnership with Univision News found that 22 percent of registered Latino voters are still unsure about the vaccine and plan to wait a while before getting it. Twenty-eight percent say they have no idea how to register or tried and failed. The mobile tour is one way that UnidosUS is helping bridge the information gap, build trust in the COVID-19 vaccines, and ensure that the Hispanic community is included equitably in vaccine distribution efforts across the country. The mobile tour is part of the institution-wide Esperanza Hope for All campaign to mitigate the health, economic and education effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Latinos. The campaign builds on the organization's national advocacy and public health response to the pandemic in 2020 and will have a core focus on promoting vaccine equity. "Latinos are more likely to require hospitalization or even worse die from COVID-19 since they face greater exposure to the virus because of their overrepresentation as essential workers. That is why it is imperative that we foster trust in the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines and combat vaccine misinformation and disinformation. To do that, we have to reach out to Latinos where they live and ensure that information is delivered by people they trust in an environment where they're comfortable. That is how we will help our community and our country recover," said UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguia. UnidosUS will lean on its Affiliate Network to lead on culturally responsive education and outreach by training local trusted messengers; informing through dual-language communications; providing resources for local COVID-safe outreach and vaccination events and engaging local provider and community partners. The efforts include helping to expand equitable vaccine access through Affiliate health centers. In this initial stage, UnidosUS is deploying more than $2 million in grants to 35 Latino-serving community-based organizations including our network of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). UnidosUS is a national partner on the COVID Collaborative and Ad Council's COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, helping to develop and distribute culturally relevant content for the Latino community. Esperanza Hope for All's comprehensive vaccine equity efforts are backed by funding from a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the CDC and UnidosUS, and between HHS's Office of Minority Health and Morehouse School of Medicine's National COVID-19 Resiliency Network, The Rockefeller Foundation, Walmart Foundation, and The Pfizer Foundation*. Plus, generous in-kind support from Charter Communications, Comcast NBCUniversal and Telemundo, and Google. *The Pfizer Foundation is a charitable organization established by Pfizer Inc. It is a separate legal entity from Pfizer Inc. with distinct legal restrictions. UnidosUS, previously known as NCLR (National Council of La Raza), is the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. Through its unique combination of expert research, advocacy, programs, and an Affiliate Network of nearly 300 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico, UnidosUS simultaneously challenges the social, economic, and political barriers that affect Latinos at the national and local levels. For more than 50 years, UnidosUS has united communities and different groups seeking common ground through collaboration, and that share a desire to make our country stronger. For more information on UnidosUS, visit www.unidosus.org or follow us on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter . Contact: Gabriela Gomez [email protected] SOURCE UnidosUS Related Links http://www.unidosus.org Raul Castro in Havana in 2008. Pool Interagences / Getty Unity and continuity. These are the main themes underpinning the 8th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) due to begin on Friday in Havana. The gathering comes at a key moment: the island nation is grappling with one of the worst crises in its entire history even as the revolutions historic leaders, starting with Raul Castro, are on their way out. Raul Castro is 89 years old. Ramon Machado Ventura, currently the second secretary of the PCC, will turn 91 in October. The veteran commanders Ramiro Valdes and Guillermo Garcia are 88 and 92, respectively. A generational change is underway for obvious reasons, and if unity and continuity are the chosen catchwords, it is not for the fun of it: a cycle is ending that began in 1959 when a group of revolutionaries first came down from the Sierra Maestra and went on to occupy the countrys top leadership positions. It was Raul Castro himself who ordered the change at the last PCC congress, where he proposed a two-term limit for a top political position and a maximum age of 60 to join the PCCs Central Committee. He also suggested an age limit of 70 for holders of the highest posts in this political organization the only one in the country, and tasked by the Constitution to act as the leading force of society. Raul Castro at one point described this generational change as a strategic issue, since whats at stake is whether the revolution will outlive its founders thus the continuity leitmotiv. Raul Castro and his wife Vilma Espin in the mountains of Sierra Maestra in an undated photograph. EFE Nearly all the party leaders at the local and provincial level were born after 1959. But the members of the old guard have continued to occupy important positions, which they now share with leaders of an in-between generation. Inside the PCCs highest decision-making body, the Politburo, the average age of its members is 69, and eight of its 17 members are over 75 (five of them are members of the military). The handover to a younger generation has already become a reality in government. President Miguel Diaz-Canel will turn 61 on Monday, and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero was born in 1963. It was Raul Castro who selected Diaz-Canel as his successor in the presidency, describing him as the only survivor of a generation of leaders who were lifted to higher positions by the veterans at various times to guarantee the revolutions survival, but most of whom later fell out of grace. Everything will depend on whether the outgoing leaders understand that in order to save the model they helped build, it is necessary to effect profound change Economist Omar Everleny When Raul handed Diaz-Canel the presidency in 2018, he said that if everything went according to plan, the latter would also become first secretary of the PCC at its 8th Congress. Barring any surprises, this will be the case and the cycle will be complete. But will historic leaders go away completely? Will this continuity remain under their guardianship? What will be the makeup of the Central Committee and the Politburo, and what kind of balance will there be between old mentality sectors and reform-oriented ones? Will the new leaders have any leeway to introduce the kind of meaningful changes that reality demands of them, if they wish to do so? There is a lot of speculation going on, and many questions are still up in the air, but if there is one thing that most political analysts agree on, its the fact that the outcome of this congress will be key to the countrys future, as Cuba is facing enormous political and economic challenges. On the economic front, the situation is critical due to the systems long-term inefficiency and structural problems. The coronavirus pandemic has intensified the trouble gross domestic product (GDP) fell 11% last year and the economy has keenly felt the effects of a tightening of sanctions by former US president Donald Trump. Cubans have been suffering from brutal shortages for months, leading to long lines for essential goods and a lot of citizen discontent. Adding to this is an ongoing monetary reform that has made people lose a lot of purchasing power. Economists feel that the announced opening of the economy, which should considerably facilitate private initiative and pave the way for small and medium businesses, is moving too slowly. As a matter of fact, one of the major issues to be addressed at the congress is whether there is clear support for a substantial economic reform, which is vital for survival, or whether the effort remains half-hearted. Another factor to take into account is the new scenario created by social media, which has broken the states monopoly over messages and its hold on established truths. This new medium is also helping dissidents, and civil society in general, spread their messages. New leadership Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel with Raul Castro in 2018. ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP Even though the political challenges are considerable and nothing is expected to be yielded on this front there is a consensus that the main battle will be fought on the economic battlefield. Cuban society in general is exhausted, and it is logical for people to feel pessimistic, says the economist Omar Everleny. Changing that view will not be an easy task, but not an impossible one, either. Everleny feels that the new leaders that emerge from the 8th Congress could lead Cuba down a more prosperous road even if they maintain the same ideology as their predecessors. Everything will depend on the balance of power that is created, and on whether the outgoing leaders understand that in order to save the model they helped build, it is necessary to effect profound change, and let the new leaders be bold within limits, he adds. Cuban society in general is exhausted, and it is logical for people to feel pessimistic Economist Omar Everleny Carlos Alzugaray, a former diplomat and party member, feels that Diaz-Canel will have more freedom to act and more decision-making powers than he does now, the moment he is elected first secretary of the PCC. But the main obstacle he will face, says Alzugaray, is the prevalence of an old mentality throughout the entire government apparatus and party structure that resists change. Even Raul Castro has criticized this mentality in the past. If all the historic leaders retire along with Raul, and this also means the current second secretary, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura [identified as part of the most orthodox sector], then it would be logical to suppose that he will be replaced by someone whom Diaz-Canel trusts, and who will be given increased authority to handle party affairs. Its important to note that thats where decisions are made on promotions, rotation and removal of cadres, says Alzugaray. This ex-diplomat stresses that it is key for these new leaders to be able to produce the changes that have been difficult to bring about, yet without breaking with the image of continuity. The legitimacy of the historic generation now departing from power emanated from the revolutionary epic most clearly embodied by Fidel and Raul Castro. But now legitimacy will depend on the new leaders management skills and on their ability to achieve results that will give Cubans a better, more prosperous life. It seems clear that whats been done to date has not worked in terms of reactivating the economy and pulling out of the crisis. As a result, a growing chorus of voices is saying that the continuity tagline must necessarily be associated with sweeping change and transformation, without any attempt at concealment. According to Rafael Hernandez, a scholar and head of Temas magazine, the current crisis makes it indispensable for new leaders to forge consensus. Right now Diaz-Canel is going through the toughest test that a president with little experience in the role can face: an accumulated economic crisis, a costly ongoing reform, an epidemic that is longer than expected, and a US government that does not miss an opportunity for doing the wrong thing. Its the perfect storm. Faced with so many combined challenges, the president only has one option, says Hernandez, noting that going forward with reforms requires doing politics 24 hours a day. The great unanswered question is what Cuba will look like five years from now, when the next PCC congress is due to take place. English version by Susana Urra. To some, it might have seemed as if mass shootings all but halted during the coronavirus pandemic, with a year passing between large-scale shootings in public places. But the shootings never stopped. They just werent as public. The Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one with four or more people injured or killed, not including the perpetrator, counted more than 600 such shootings in 2020, compared with 417 in 2019. That carnage has continued into 2021, with at least 232 mass shootings as of May 26. (Including Wednesdays shooting in San Jose, Calif, the archive, a nonprofit organization, has counted 15 mass murders, which it defines as four or more people killed, in 2021.) There is little consensus on the definition of a mass shooting, complicating the efforts of nonprofits and news organizations to document the scope of the problem. Explosives launched from a drone hit Wednesday Erbil airport, in Iraqi Kurdistan Region, targeting positions of US forces. The attack, the Kurdistans interior ministry said, only left material damage. The explosives (TNT) the ministry also indicated were dropped near U.S. forces stationed at the airport. The US Department condemned the attack saying that kind of violence violates the countrys sovereignty. Outraged by reports of attacks in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. The Iraqi people have suffered for far too long from this kind of violence and violation of their sovereignty, the spokesperson of US Department of State Ned Price said on Twitter. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, Shafaq News reports, directed authorities to open investigations into attacks at the airport and other regions. No one claimed responsibility of the attack which is the second in kind in the region after a barrage of rockets hit the same U.S.-led military base in the Erbil International Airport vicinity in February. One American contractor working with the US forces was killed. US positions in Iraq have been repeatedly targets of attacks in capital Baghdad and in other parts of the country and Iran-backed militias have been held responsible. Despite opposition from many teachers and many parents, a proposal to move up by two weeks the start of the 2021-22 school year in East Baton Rouge Parish in order to help reverse COVID learning loss is still kicking and will be debated anew when the board meets again next Thursday. In a related item, the board on Thursday offered preliminary support for paying school employees who worked this school year a $1,300 stipend. Several board members, however, pushed to find ways to pay employees, especially retirees, earlier than August as is currently planned, perhaps as soon as May. Superintendent Sito Narcisse agreed to see what he could do. Thursdays board meeting stretched on past midnight. As Thursday turned to Friday, board members became more and more frustrated. Board members Connie Bernard and David Tatman left and arguments broke out with the members who were still left. The lights even went out for several minutes. Can we please stop the infighting so we can please get through these items? asked board member Dadrius Lanus. As it is were not going to be done until after 2 a.m. Board members wont get any rest. They have an all-day retreat Friday morning to continue work on a strategic plan for the school system. Much of Thursdays meeting focused on Narcisses proposal, which he calls Smart Start. The plan would bring instructional staff back on July 19, two weeks earlier than planned, and students on July 28, 12 days earlier than planned. Those employees would have 10 more days of work, and students would have eight more days of school. As justification, he noted that students have lost many instructional days during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen behind. He pointed to literacy results for young children that declined last fall compared to the year before, as well as failure rates in courses doubling last fall across the school district. To make Smart Start happen, the School Board is being asked to approve a revised 2021-22 calendar. It would replace the calendar the board approved on March 18, less than a month ago. Thursdays meeting capped several days of public gatherings, in-person and virtual, in which Narcisse sought to sell the idea. At events this week, Narcisse has been hit with wide-ranging criticism and Thursday was no exception. A large crowd was present both inside and outside of the districts Professional Development Center. Many wore red as in Red for Ed. One out of six Baton Rouge school teachers stayed home Monday as part of a protest About 16% of the teachers and instructional staff in East Baton Rouge Parish public schools opted to take Monday off, many in protest of a pro A local teachers union, East Baton Rouge Parish Association of Educators, organized a sickout Monday to protest Smart Start and urged supporters to pack Thursdays board meeting. A stream of the speakers talked about the many challenges of educating during the pandemic and how they have been relishing the upcoming summer. Storm Matthews, an active EBRPAE member, said she and other teachers are tired and need a break. "We are exhausted, Matthews said. We need to rejuvenate so we can give these children everything we have." Paige Colwell, a teacher at McKinley Middle, said she supports year-round schools, but Smart Start was rushed when it should have been well-planned. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up This plan seems more reactive than preventive," Colwell said. "This is all you need to know, said Trudy Huffty, a kindergarten teacher at Westdale Heights Academic Magnet. Happy teachers make happy children, and happy children, they learn more." "Taking away their summer is not helping. Every student Ive talked with says, 'This feels like a punishment," said Jeffery Johnson, a teacher at Northeast High. Baton Rouge early school start plan: Here's what parents, teachers, staff need to know East Baton Rouge Parish school superintendent Sito Narcisse wants to start the 2021-22 school year early as a way of catching up schoolchildre School Board members had far less to say. Board member Mike Gaudet persuaded the board to take no stance Thursday. In a 6-2 vote, the board forwarded the item to the boards April 22 meeting without recommendation. "We want to continue to allow the public time to get info on this, so when it comes time for a final vote we can give the all the public a chance to have their say on this, Gaudet said. Board members Dawn Collins and David Tatman board vice president and president, respectively were the No votes. Board member Tramelle Howard did not attend Thursdays meeting. Anne Marie Blank, a parent with the Progressive Social Network of Baton Rouge, was disappointed. "This doesnt solve anything, Blank said. This means that you will do this all again next week. And you will still not have meaningfully involved parents, teachers and students." At least two of the Yes votes, though, expressed concern. Board member Evelyn Ware-Jackson said she likes Smart Start, but worries that its coming too late and will be too disruptive. Rather than starting the school year early, she suggested ending it late, which would mean the 2021-22 school year would end in June rather than May. Some applause broke out. "It seems to me there would be virtually the same effect, if not the same effect, Ware-Jackson said. Narcisse, however, was skeptical, but hinted that he might be able to go along with the idea if there was professional development earlier than Aug. 2, when teachers are currently supposed to report back. Before leaving the meeting, Bernard expressed interest in Ware-Jacksons motion, but the two spent several minutes trying to come up with mutually agreeable language and failed. With dozens of speakers waiting to talk, Lanus complained at how long it was all taking, prompting Ware-Jackson to pull her motion. By contract, the $1,300 stipend sparked far less controversy, though more debate. Gaudet, in particular, pressed for ways the school system could pay retirees the stipend. As it stands, employees who retire this school year are unlikely to be able to receive the stipend. Chief Financial Officer Kelly Lopez said shes going to look at the possibility of paying retirees this school year, and pay everyone else in August. She, however, resisted calls to pay every a stipend right away saying that would mean an unbalanced budget this fiscal year where spending outpaces revenue. She said the district will better afford the stipend if it was paid out in the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. Ashley Cain has shared sweet snaps cuddling with his daughter Azaylia in bed and said he feels 'truly blessed to have another day with you' amid her leukemia battle. The former Ex On The Beach star, 30, took to Instagram on Friday to post adorable new pictures with his eight-month-old as she took a nap beside him. Ashley said that although they can't have 'playtime right now' due to her illness they have been making up for it 'with lots of snuggles'. Together: Ashley Cain has shared sweet snaps cuddling with his daughter Azaylia in bed and said he feels 'truly blessed to have another day with you' amid her leukemia battle Ashley and his girlfriend Safiyya, 34, have been chronicling her terminal leukaemia battle on social media since she was diagnosed aged just two months. He wrote beside the pictures: 'Morning - Don't count the days, make the days count. 'Truth be told, there's not so much playtime right now but we make up for it with naps and lots of snuggles. Pretty much anything that makes her the happiest and most settled. 'We have always been like two pees in a pod and wherever she is I'm not far away. I think that's where we both feel most comfortable. Truly blessed for another day with you baby, keep surprising us!' Cute: The former Ex On The Beach star, 30, took to Instagram on Friday to post adorable new snaps with his eight-month-old as she took a nap beside him Heartfelt: Ashley said that although they can't have 'playtime right now' due to her illness they have been making up for it 'with lots of snuggles' It comes after Azaylia delighted her parents on Thursday evening by eating her first proper food in a fortnight. Safiyya shared videos of the tot sitting on her lap while eating greens from her plate and revealed she had shared her food. She said: 'We have Azaylia's grandma here and she has just made some dinner for me and look who's eaten her greens? She has just had so much fun with my dinner and it's the first time she's eaten in about two weeks. She amazes me.' Little one: Ashley and his girlfriend Safiyya, 34, have been chronicling her terminal leukaemia battle on social media since she was diagnosed aged just two months Heartbreak: It comes after Azaylia delighted her parents on Thursday evening by eating her first proper food in a fortnight Safiyya was bursting with pride in her latest slew of videos sharing her daughter's time at home after she was given days to live by doctors. Earlier in the day, Ashley was seen sweetly kissing his baby daughter's head as the strong family soaked up time together at home on Thursday. In an adorable clip shared to Instagram, the she was cradled by her doting mum while her proud dad stands nearby. The little girl was rushed to hospital on Tuesday after her heart rate climbed to over 200 and she received a platelet transfusion. Helping hand: Her gran was on hand to cook Her girl: Safiyya was bursting with pride in her latest slew of videos sharing her daughter's time at home after she was given days to live by doctors Doting dad: Earlier in the day, Ashley was seen sweetly kissing his baby daughter's head as the strong family soaked up time together at home on Thursday Updating fans on Azaylia's condition on Thursday, Safiyya showed that the youngster was being treated to lots of cuddles from family members. Safiyya held her daughter, who was clutching a colourful toy, in a quick video posted on stories while Ashley planted a sweet kiss on his only child's forehead. Another clip showed Azaylia dancing with her aunty and Safiyaa saying that the lady was their 'family nurse' and had been 'amazing'. Meanwhile, Ashley later took to his Instagram stories to thank his mum and sister for helping to care for their home whilst he and Safiyya have been at the hospital with Azaylia. Family: The eight-month-old was cradled by her mum Daddy and daughter: The Ex On The Beach star soaked up the quality time with his baby girl Sharing a snap of them holding Azalyia with crown emojis on their heads, Ashley penned: 'These two people have been here right from the start. Cooking food and washing clothes while we were in hospital, standing outside for hours everyday doing window visits while we were at home. He went on to praise them for being a 'rock' for him and Safiyya, praising his 'incredible' relatives for their selflessness throughout Azaylia's illness. The update comes after it was revealed that Azaylia has been put on oxygen to help her sleep 'comfortably' after returning home from hospital. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday evening, Ashley's partner and Azaylia's mother Safiyya gave an update on their daughter after returning home. 'My family, so proud': Ashley was also seen cradling his daughter while Safiyya kissed her head Sharing a sweet video of herself holding a sleeping Azaylia in her arms, Safiyya admitted they had experienced an 'exhausting' night. She said: 'Really really exhausting night last night. We didn't get much sleep at all, probably haven't had much sleep in the last few weeks. 'As you can see, Azaylia is on oxygen at the moment. Her breathing is a little bit more intense. She is struggling a little bit so we're giving her oxygen just to help her sleep more comfortably. Making memories: Safiyya also shared a short video of Azaylia dancing with her aunty and Safiyaa saying that the lady was their 'family nurse' and had been 'amazing' Thank you: Meanwhile, Ashley later took to his Instagram stories to thank his mum and sister for helping to care for their home whilst he and Safiyya have been at the hospital with Azaylia 'She's not had an uncomfortable day today, she's been very comfortable and quite sleepy. Hopefully later on she wakes up and we can have some playtime.' Safiyya went on to share another sweet video of a sleeping Azaylia in her arms and added the caption: 'Quality time' followed by a heart emoji. It comes after Azaylia was nominated for a Pride Of Britain Award by thousands of supporters around the world. The little girl has been battling acute myeloid leukaemia since she was just two months and has garnered thousands of votes. Update: It comes after Safiyya revealed on Wednesday that Azaylia has been put on oxygen to help her sleep 'comfortably' after returning home from hospital amid her leukaemia battle The Azaylia Diamond Cain Journey To Fight Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Facebook page, which has 136.9K member, saw traction rising to get the tot nominated for one of the prestigious awards to recognise her fight. After their Pride Of Britain votes began the couple revealed she had been discharged from hospital again. On the Facebook page for the tot, one of her followers penned: 'Get this little champ nominated!!', leading to masses of comments confirming fans had voted. The page has followed Azalyia's journey with huge support from many close to the family as well as strangers who have been helping the family. In what will no doubt be happy news for the family, on Wednesday Safiyya shared a video of Azalyia as they made their way home after another platelet transfusion. The video showed Azaylia on a stretcher while playing with a teddy bear which had been gifted to her by a paramedic. Sweet: Safiyya later shared another photo with Azaylia and said: 'Thank you for today, and blessing me with my beautiful family' Before she was admitted to hospital on Tuesday night, the aesthetic practitioner wrote alongside the video: 'Back in hospital tonight, Azaylia's heart rate was over 200. 'Currently waiting for her blood results to see if we can get her some antibiotics to treat any infections... 'You are amazing baby. Mummy and daddy promised to give you our 100% from day 1 & we will keep to our word what ever you need we will do for you baby.' Clearly heartbroken, the couple took to Instagram to give the update alongside the videos showing paramedics tending to the tot in her third urgent hospital trip in the brief time she has been allowed to return home. Earlier in the evening, a special clap was held for Azaylia, with celebrities like Abbey Clancy, Marnie Simpson and Mrs Hinch leading the stars in taking part in the clap, which celebrated eight-month-old daughter amid her leukaemia battle. Vote for Azaylia: The baby girl has been nominated for a Pride Of Britain Award by thousands of supporters around the world (Azaylia pictured in a digital portrait by Roe-Parkin Creative) Let's go champ: On the Facebook page for the tot, one of her followers penned: 'Get this little champ nominated!!', leading to masses of comments confirming fans had voted The couple were moved as strangers and celebrities showed their support for their little tot in the same way the public have done for the NHS during the Covid crisis. Safiyya took to Instagram to share a video after the clap, showing how many people had come out to clap for Azaylia. She told her followers: 'We've just done our 7 O'clock clap and wow our street was so loud wasn't it? You were singing really loud weren't ya? Wow! Everyone's come out, yea they have all for you baby girl, I love you.' After they returned home, Safiyya went on: 'Wow here's the champ, everyone's still been singing for you, yea. Let's go champ, let's go!' Ashley also shared a post shortly before the clap was set to take place, as he gushed over being able to take his daughter for a walk outside for the first time. In a touching post, he wrote: 'Today was the first time in the 8 months of fatherhood that I've had the chance to walk down the street with my baby in my arms. Home: In what will no doubt be happy news for the family, on Wednesday Safiyya shared a video of Azalyia as they made their way home after another platelet transfusion 'No hospital, no isolation, no pram with a protective cover... Just me, and my baby, doing what a daddy and daughter should be able to do. 'When I say this to you all I really mean it... Appreciate what you have, cherish every single moment and always be the best you that you can be for the ones you love.' He added: 'I have been told today, there is an official doorstep clap that's been organised for Azaylia tonight at 7pm. 'To this day, I am still amazed and overwhelmed at the amount of love and support for my beautiful daughter, and I am grateful for everyone who has arranged and will be taking part in tonight's clap, to show support for Azaylia and her journey. 'Despite what's going on, I truly feel blessed that I get to spend these days with the best thing that ever happened to me. They will stay with me in my heart forever!' Earlier in the day, Ashley revealed Azaylia had been rushed back to hospital after she began crying blood and in urgent need of a transfusion. Heartbreak: Azaylia was rushed to hospital on Tuesday night, just hours after celebrities and fans held a clap in her honour Support: Abbey was joined by her husband Peter Crouch alongside three of their children, and in her video Abbey wrote '#GoChamp' Touching: Stacey Solomon was unable to get home in time to take part, but she shared a picture of Ashley with Azaylia, and wrote: 'It's just the most unimaginable, heartbreaking thing' Taking to Instagram, her mum Safiyya shared a video from within the hospital during which Ashley cradled the eight-month-old while she slept. Proving herself to be incredibly strong, Safiyya said to the camera: 'We've just gone back into hospital to get Azaylia another platelet transfusion because last night the tears started having blood in them, so we needed more platelets'. She also shared an image of Azaylia's leg with a deep purple bruise as a result of the disruption of the body's platelet production, which causes bleeding under the skin. People with leukaemia are more likely to bruise due to the fact their bodies don't create enough platelets to plug bleeding blood vessels. Leukaemia bruises look like any other kind of bruise, but there are usually more of them than normal. Additionally, they may show up on unusual areas of the body. Ashley cradled Azaylia in the heartbreaking clip, while they stood in the brightly-coloured hospital room and Safiyya held the camera and spoke. Staying positive: Ashley also shared a post shortly before the clap was set to take place, as he gushed over being able to take his daughter for a walk outside for the first time Heartache: Earlier in the day, Ashley revealed Azaylia had been rushed back to hospital after she began crying blood and in urgent need of a transfusion Bleeding: Safiyya also shared an image of Azaylia's leg with a deep purple bruise as a result of the disruption of the body's platelet production, which causes bleeding under the skin It comes after Safiyya revealed she has planned a tattoo tribute to her daughter Azaylia, as the tot continues her fight against leukaemia. Taking to Instagram on Monday evening, she shared heartbreaking videos chronicling the family's tough evening before, after they demanded doctors carry out a platelet transfusion on the tot. After having casts made of their daughter's feet over the weekend, Safiyya revealed they had another cast-making session, during which she was given the imprints of Azaylia's feet in preparation for a tattoo tribute to the tot. Ashley later shared another post showing his daughter sleeping and wrote alongside: 'We fight and we pray for another day #letsgochamp'. The couple have been chronicling Azalyia's health woes on social media since she was diagnosed with leukaemia at just two months and has garnered worldwide support, including from Dwayne Johnson. In the same video in which she discussed her tattoo, Safiyya branded her daughter's pain 'torture' to look upon and then posted a video while singing Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston's 1998 hit When You Believe. Heartbreak: It comes after Safiyya revealed she has planned a tattoo tribute to her daughter Azaylia, as the tot continues her fight against leukaemia On her tattoo, she said: 'We did more castings yesterday to get some necklaces and some hand prints and foot prints... 'I started stressing in case I dropped it but the lady was so good and gave me a print that I can get as a tattoo so she'll always be with me and so close. So I decided to get the prints done and a tattoo of her hands and feet.' On their trip to hospital and her transfusion the previous day, she said: 'Azaylia was experiencing loads of nosebleeds due to the platelets in the body not being able to clot the blood so we went to hospital... 'Unfortunately over the night she's still experiencing the bleeding. Just spoken to the community nurse and they're coming to check. Anything you're experiencing with your child, you know your child best. We thought it was right to get the transfusion... 'The NHS and the service they provide is amazing. Every morning I wake up is a blessing and I just feel so lucky to hold her there and for her to smile and to sing to and all our Jungle Book themed tunes... 'She's so beautiful': After having casts made of their daughter's feet over the weekend, Safiyya revealed they had another cast-making session, during which she was given the imprints of Azaylia's feet in preparation for a tattoo tribute to the tot 'The amount of times we sing you wouldn't even know. You don't know how much I love her and it's absolutely heartbreaking and this feels like torture it's so hard and the support you've given us is amazing... 'It's so hard and painful but I'm gonna make every day as special and fun as possible for her. Make the most of everyday because tomorrow isn't promised to anyone.' She then shared a video of Ashley's sister Alissia dancing with Azaylia and another showing them snapping selfies together. Last week, doctors revealed there was no further treatment available amid her leukaemia battle following the discovery of multiple tumours in her body. The couple recently raised more than 1.5m to fund a trip to Singapore for life-saving transplant, but she was being treated in the UK during the interim. Sweetheart: Ashley said he has spent the first eight months of fatherhood under Covid-19 restrictions in hospital as his daughter fought the cancer He later revealed that Azaylia can no longer fly to Singapore for treatment after discovering the tumours, and vowed to make her final days 'as fun as they can'. Ashley penned a detailed account of Azaylia's health battle on his GoFundMe page and said that any extra funds the couple receive will be donated to other families in a similar situation to them. According to the NHS, it is a 'highly complex and potentially risky treatment' but has been shown in trials to cure some patients when other treatments have failed. Ashley said he has spent the first eight months of fatherhood under Covid-19 restrictions in hospital as his daughter fought the cancer. Doctors told the TV star and his partner Safiyya that chemotherapy would not be enough to cure Azaylia. Last week, Ashley shared a heartbreaking video revealing he and Safiyya were bringing their little girl home to make her comfortable after learning doctors had found tumours throughout her body. And as he faces up to the harrowing prognosis that his adorable child has just days to live, Ashley paid tribute to the brave youngster as he admitted: 'I don't know what I will do without you.' In the video, the doting dad was seen gently splashing the water around Azaylia as she looked up at her dad adoringly while sitting in a small tub on the hospital ward. Captioning the footage, he wrote: Azaylia's last bath in hospital, before we take her home where she belongs. '9 days ago consultants told us my daughter had 1-2 days to live, but thought she may pass that evening. Even with a barbaric disease consuming her blood, tumours in her brain and organs and amounts of pain I cannot imagine... 'She is still battling through 9 days later, with parts of the day with nothing but smiles despite her discomfort. 'This is a testament of this little girls strength and the fight she has possessed all of the way through. She has fought a battle that not many, if any, of us could have endured and she's earned the love and respect of many on the way... 'The truth is though, I hope and pray that I have earned hers! Even through the hardest and saddest time of my life, she has found a way to make it better... 'She has shined light on the darkest of days and she has opened my heart to amounts of love I couldn't believe possible. 'The truth is, I don't know what I will do without you. But for now, I find strength in giving you the best of me, and the only me that you deserve. 'You are in my arms, my thoughts, my prayers and my heart everyday my princess. YOU'RE MY HERO! DADDY LOVES YOU!' For help and support caring for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, please contact Together for Short Lives on 0808 8088 100 or visit www.togetherforshortlives.org.uk Californians ages 16 to 49 became eligible for the coronavirus vaccine Thursday. That means more than 18 million people, many much younger than those in the first waves, could potentially experience the side effects that can accompany inoculation. The occurrence of side effects, including headache, fatigue and chills, varies from person to person, and some groups experience them more severely. Younger people and women in particular tend to have more side effects, experts say. With the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine on pause while officials investigate a rare clotting disorder reported in six women, the group newly eligible for vaccinations will receive either the Pfizer or Moderna version. They are both two-dose regimens, and the side effects after the second dose are typically stronger. However, the effects are normal, short-term and well worth it, the health officials say. Dont worry if you dont have side effects, and dont worry if you do have side effects, said Monica Gandhi, a UCSF infectious disease expert. Both are really common. The vaccines are extremely effective and overall very safe. Heres what you should know before you get vaccinated. Josie Lepe / Special to the Chronicle What are the side effects I could experience? Common localized symptoms include pain, redness and swelling at the injection site. People have also experienced systemic effects including fatigue, headache, muscle pain, fever, chills and nausea. A majority of these symptoms are mild to moderate. Vaccination is followed by an observational period of 15 to 30 minutes for health care workers to monitor any cases of a severe allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis. But those are extremely rare. Why am I feeling side effects? Thats your bodys immune system reacting and building up protection to fight COVID-19. Why are side effects often stronger with the second dose? FDA analyses of the Pfizer and Moderna clinical trials show more people who received the shot developed side effects after the second dose compared to the first dose. Also, the symptoms after the second dose may be more severe. The first dose primes the immune responses and starts revving up the T-cells and antibodies, Gandhi said. If they see the virus or the second dose of the vaccine, they are on alert and amplify very quickly, and that amplification leads to people not feeling well after the second dose. Why do young people and women have more side effects? Vaccine trials showed that about 62% of younger people reported any systemic side effect like fatigue, headache and fever, compared to 45% of people in older age groups (defined as 56 and up by Pfizer and 65 and up by Moderna), UCSF infectious disease professor Dr. Phyllis Tien told Mother Jones magazine. Thats because younger individuals, who have a more robust immune system, mount a stronger response after being vaccinated. As you age, your immune system is waning, so its not as strong, Tien said. So its like those immune cells as troops are getting old and tired. But for young people, they have a very intact immune response. For people under 50, UCSF infectious disease expert George Rutherford says he thinks a sore arm can be expected the first time around, and possibly a low fever and perhaps even chills the second time around. But any side effects should go away within 12 to 24 hours. In a February study by CDC researchers analyzing safety data from the first 13.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses given to Americans, 79 percent of reports of side effects came from women, even though they received only 61.2 percent of the vaccines. Gandhi said the difference is related to estrogen. Women are more likely to get autoimmune diseases and are more likely to mount vigorous immune responses to viruses and vaccines, she said. How should I prepare for my vaccine shot? Experts advise against taking pain relievers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin) in an effort to prevent side effects, because it is not known how they could affect how well the vaccine works. But if you need them for a health condition, then continue taking them. The CDC also does not recommend taking antihistamines before getting your shot. Also, the CDC says you should not get any other vaccines within two weeks before or after the coronavirus vaccine. But if you do receive another vaccine within 14 days, you do not need to be revaccinated with either COVID vaccine dose. How can I relieve symptoms from side effects? The CDC suggests using a cool, wet washcloth to relieve injection site pain, and to exercise and move your arm. If you develop a fever, drink plenty of fluids and dress lightly. Talk to your doctor about taking an over-the-counter pain reliever to relieve any aches and pains. Gandhi said to take it easy the rest of the day after you receive your shot, as well as the next day. Plan on a day or two of not feeling 100%, she said. She said side effects tend to last only 24 hours, and its rare that people experience them for longer. But if pain and swelling in your arm worsens after 24 hours, or your side effects persist for days after receiving the vaccine, call your doctor. Some people schedule their shots close to the weekend or take a day off from work in case side effects appear the next day. Gandhi said she doesnt tell patients to schedule time off from work, but rather to let their employer know ahead of time that they are getting vaccinated and may have symptoms. Does it really help to windmill my arm? Videos of mostly younger people windmilling their vaccinated arm, or swinging it around in a circle, have gone viral on TikTok as a hack to avoid soreness after the vaccine. Though the science behind it bringing blood flow to that area to avoid inflammation makes some sense, Rutherford said he wouldnt put too much stock into it. I think your lymphatic blood system works well enough without having to do that, said Rutherford. But it doesnt hurt anything if it makes you feel better, then why not? Kellie Hwang and Annie Vainshtein are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com, avainshtein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang, @annievain The steeple of the Wall Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Auburn was removed Tuesday afternoon as part of the demolition of the dilapidated Reids Dome Production Testing Update Brisbane, April 16, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - State Gas Limited ( ASX:GAS ) is pleased to provide an update on production testing activities at its 100%-owned Reid's Dome Gas Project (PL 231) in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland.Following significant rain events in March that gave rise to local flooding and made in-field roads temporarily impassable to heavy traffic, the recent dry weather allowed access to Serocold-1 where a work-over of that well was completed on 6th April.The Serocold-1 work-over cleaned out the section below the previous pump depth and installed a liner which enabled the down-hole pump to be set 330m lower than the previous level. Early indications are positive and suggest that the deeper coals are providing increased water-flow which is generally associated with better permeability.Work was also carried out on the Nyanda-8 well to reduce the pump size, allowing more efficient pumping as the water production declined and gas production increased.Dewatering and gas production of the Nyanda area wells has continued following the local flooding and wet weather-related interruptions. Gas flow continues to increase with the rates of 6,000 cubic feet/day recorded at Nyanda-7, and 42,000 cubic feet/day at Nyanda-8.As demonstrated by cores samples and image logs, natural fracturing has been encountered in the Reid's Dome Project wells, to varying degrees. The high flow rate reported at Nyanda-4 has been attributed to gas contribution from near-well fractures. In line with expectations, the free gas in those fractures appears to have been drained and the gas rate has declined back to a steady 100,000 cubic feet per day. Water production has remained steady through this period. It is expected that new fractures further from the well will open up over time due to shrinkage of the coals as the pressure reduces and gas desorption continues.Commenting on the results, State Gas Executive Chairman, Richard Cottee, confirmed that the outcomes to date supported his excitement about the favourable geological setting for gas production at Reid's Dome."As articulated in my recent presentation at the Australian Minerals & Energy Investment Conference, the natural fractures in these highly gas-saturated coals will help liberate the gas and enhance production. I have been expecting that the coals between the natural fractures will cause a degree of initial compartmentalisation until those coals shrink as the gas is drained. After shrinkage, the various natural fractures should open up, extend and inter-connect over time, providing additional channels for the gas to enter the wellbore for production."View the video presentation here:"The results to date at Nyanda-4 appear to support this thesis. I am further encouraged, based on water-make as a proxy for enhanced permeability, by the water pumping rates for all of our wells at the Reid's Dome Project," Mr Cottee said."These results are all quite encouraging for long-term development of the Project," he added.About State Gas Limited State Gas Limited (ASX:GAS) is a Queensland-based developer of the Reid's Dome gas field, originally discovered during drilling in 1955, located in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland. State Gas is 100%-owner of the Reid's Dome Gas Project (PL-231) a CSG and conventional gas play, which is well-located 30 kilometres southwest of Rolleston, approximately 50 kilometres from the Queensland Gas Pipeline and interconnected east coast gas network. Permian coal measures within the Reid's Dome Beds are extensive across the entire permit but the area had not been explored for coal seam gas prior to State Gas' ownership. In late 2018 State Gas drilled the first coal seam gas well in the region (Nyanda-4) into the Reid's Dome Beds and established the potential for a significant coal seam gas project in PL 231. The extension of the coal measures into the northern and central areas of the permit was confirmed in late 2019 by the Company's drilling of Aldinga East-1A (12 km north) and Serocold-1 (6 km to the north of Nyanda-4). State Gas is also the 100% holder Authority to Prospect 2062 ("Rolleston-West"), a 1,414 km2 permit (eight times larger than PL 231) that is contiguous with the Reid's Dome Gas Project. Rolleston-West contains highly prospective targets for both coal seam gas (CSG) and known conventional gas within the permit area. It is not restricted by domestic gas reservation requirements. The contiguous areas (Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West), under sole ownership by State Gas, enable integration of activities and a unified super-gasfield development, providing economies of scale, efficient operations, and optionality in marketing. State Gas is implementing its strategic plan to bring gas to market from Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West to meet near term forecast shortfalls in the east coast domestic gas market. The strategy involves progressing a phased appraisal program in parallel with permitting for an export pipeline and development facilities to facilitate the fastest possible delivery of gas to market. State Gas' current focus has been to confirm the producibility of the gas through production testing of the wells. The American flag was raised over the National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C.'s Pershing Park for the first time Friday morning during its First Colors Ceremony. "Let's remember all that was sacrificed, all that was sanctified by our proud, brave Americans who served in World War I," President Joe Biden said during pre-recorded remarks. "The commitment and valor of the American women and men who stepped up to serve, whether here at home, or on the front lines in Europe was the same spirit that has always defined American service members." The flag raised during the ceremony also flew over D.C. on April 6, 2017, recognizing the 100th anniversary of U.S. involvement in World War I. The commemorative flag also flew over several American battlefield cemeteries in Europe, according to a news release from the World War I Centennial Commission. Terry Hamby, a Vietnam veteran who spent 26 years in various military services, told Military.com that serving as chairman of the World War I Centennial Commission was "a humbling experience." "Somewhere along the way we forgot 4.7 million Americans that sacrificed so much for our generation today," he said. "It became a mission for all of us to make sure that all those World War I veterans and their families were recognized in their sacred place." Hamby knew that his grandfather served during WWI, but said he learned more recently that his great-uncle was also killed during the war. "And then from that point forward, it was really personal. My family was one of those 116,516 people that gave the ultimate sacrifice," he said. Architect and lead designer Joe Weishaar told Military.com that he was inspired to submit a design after looking through WWI photos in the National Archives. "Looking at those photos, the thing that struck me was that everybody in them was 20 to 25 years old. And at the time, I was 24 or 25, when I submitted the design, and so it resonated with me," Weishaar said. "I don't have any relatives who were in the war, but just to see people my age, if I had been alive 100 years ago, that would have been me." His design was inspired by the need to tell the soldiers' stories to younger generations, he said. "It's been 101 years since the end of World War I; there are no living veterans. The only way that we can remember them is by telling stories," Weishaar explained. Hamby said he hopes that the memorial will be a place to learn about and reflect on our history. "I'm looking forward to America seeing it. I'm looking forward to America coming here and seeing a 21st century memorial," he added. "I'm interested in them coming here to learn more about what this generation did for us today. Even though we were the greatest country in the world, we still made mistakes. And it was in that period that we started correcting them." We have positions open at all of our facilities in New Jersey ranging from forklift operators, general labor, and quality control roles..." RLS Logistics, a leading provider of cold chain solutions, announced that it is hosting a hiring event at their Newfield, NJ facility seeking to fill multiple warehouse and operation positions immediately. Event to be hosted April 24, 2021, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at 2179 Main Road, Newfield, NJ 08344. We have positions open at all of our facilities in New Jersey ranging from forklift operators, general labor, and quality control roles, said Lori Cogit, Vice President of Human Resources at RLS Logistics. Any team member hired for the open positions at our warehouses qualify for a $250 hiring bonus after the first 90 days and receive a second bonus of $500 after 180 days. As a third generation family owned business, RLS offers careers in an established industry and offers benefits such as 401(K) with a company match; medical, dental and vision insurance; AFLAC; pay on-demand thru Daily Pay; and paid time off. During the event, interviews with human resources will be conducted, and offers will be extended to qualified candidates on the spot. There will also be forklift driving tests for those who apply for forklift operator positions. Attendees will get to see where they could work during the event tours. Masks and closed-toed shoes are required for the attendees to go to the event. Here at RLS, we pride ourselves on helping our team members achieve their American dream and assist to continue their training and education, continued Cogit. RLS proudly promotes our team members from within, allowing them to develop as our company grows. For more information about the event, contact the RLS Logistics Human Resources team at hr@rlslogistics.com or 856-694-2500 extension 1199. If individuals cannot attend the event, RLS suggests them to view and apply directly to open positions by visiting http://www.joinrls.com. ABOUT RLS LOGISTICS: Headquartered in Newfield, NJ, RLS Logistics is a family-owned, third-party logistics provider specializing in value-added cold chain solutions, including LTL and FTL transportation, cold storage warehousing, and direct-to-consumer fulfillment. Founded in 1968, the company has been owned and managed by the Leo family for over 50 years and has grown into a leading integrated cold chain 3PL. For more information, visit https://www.rlslogistics.com/. Sonae MC Turns to Talkdesk for Operational Upgrade Cloud contact center provider Talkdesk has announced Portuguese food retailer Sonae MC will be integrating its customer service operations with Talkdesk CX Cloud. Sonae MC primarily decided on Talkdesks solution due to the ease of integration with Salesforce Sales Cloud, as well as scalability features that will support the companys rapid development in the global market. Representatives of Sonae MC believe that the Talkdesk CX Cloud will provide a serious advantage for customer experience among competing brands. Talkdesk stood out as a solution that was easy to use and integrate, which was very important to us, as the role of a centralized customer service operation becomes more and more important, said Ricardo Fernandes, Head of Customer Service at Sonae MC. We are excited to explore Salesforce integration immediately and look forward to a solution that can grow with us and provide the features we need to offer a superior customer experience. With the Talkdesk CX Cloud, Sonae plans to take use of automation features to improve agent efficiency, as well as customized call routing to offer customers help from most qualified agents for specific tasks. Great customer service is no longer optionalits a must. Companies like Sonae MC need technology that keeps up and makes shoppers happy, said Tiago Paiva, CEO of Talkdesk. Talkdesk will help Sonae MC provide its customers with quick, personalized service whenever and wherever they need it. Edited by Maurice Nagle WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Welltower Inc. (WELL), a health care infrastructure company, announced Friday that the Board of Directors has nominated Dennis Lopez and Ade Patton to be elected as directors at the upcoming Welltower 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Lopez, 66, is the Chief Executive Officer of QuadReal Property Group Ltd., a real estate, operating and development company. Patton, 42, is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of HBO Max, a direct to consumer service at WarnerMedia, LLC. In addition to nominating Lopez and Patton as independent directors, the Board also nominated incumbent independent directors. The company also announced that Sharon Oster will not seek re-election at the 2021 Annual Meeting. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-16 19:40:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Zhang Jing TOKYO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Realism or selfishness? The image of Japan is now being questioned at home and abroad after the government announced its decision to discharge radioactive wastewater from Fukushima Prefecture into the sea. For years, the island country has built up an image of politeness and restraint. However, when it comes to the disposal of contaminated wastewater at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Japan turned a deaf ear to fierce domestic and international opposition, completely ignoring the public health and food safety of the international community. The deep-rooted selfish nature beneath Japan's carefully cultivated image of self-discipline has been fully exposed. Although it is normal for nuclear plants across the world to discharge radioactive wastewater into the ocean, the major concern over Japan's decision is related to the quantity of and the radioactive isotopes' density in the Fukushima wastewater. Ten years after the nuclear disaster in 2011, Fukushima has so far collected 1.25 million tons of radioactive wastewater. Given the big amount of wastewater and the plant's location, any reckless dumping will pose a remarkably high risk to the interests of Japan's public, and the well-being of people in other countries and regions. Over the past several days, China, South Korea, Russia and the European Union, as well as more than 300 environmental groups have expressed their ardent opposition and concerns to Japan. UN human rights experts on Thursday published a joint statement, stressing the "considerable risks to the full enjoyment of human rights of concerned populations in and beyond the borders of Japan." In addition to the contamination risks, Japan's unilateral decision to release radioactive water into the sea is wholly unjustified and illegal. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Japan is a signatory, requires contracting states take all measures necessary to ensure that pollution arising from incidents or activities under their jurisdiction or control does not spread beyond the areas where they exercise sovereign rights. However, scientists have found proof that tritium, a radioactive byproduct of nuclear reactors in the wastewater could reach as far afield as the U.S. west coast within two years, while traces of ruthenium, cobalt, strontium, and plutonium isotopes in the wastewater also raise concerns. More worrying is that Japan's violation of its international obligations has won the support of the U.S. government, which said Japan "appears to have adopted an approach in accordance with globally accepted nuclear safety standards." Washington's decision to give the green light to such a reckless move based perceived safety is ludicrous. It's a classic textbook play of foregoing principles and adopting double standards. "Would this open the door for any country to release radioactive waste to the ocean that is not part of normal operations?" This question raised by Ken Buesseler, a marine chemist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts, is alarming. The oceans are the common property of all humankind. Any country should be condemned if it treats the oceans as its own sewer like what Japan is set to do. The Japanese government must behave transparently on the issue, responsibly respond to the concerns of the international community and adopt a scientific attitude. Facing the possibility of a more polluted ocean, the international community must never accept the selfish acts of a country eager to simplify a complicated scientific problem for its own convenience. Enditem .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... A chance meeting on a networking and dating app led to the formation of the duo Scorpio SZN. The name of the duo reflects the time of year that Armando Orona and Zandi Ashley formed it in 2018. Three years ago, we met on Tinder, and then we just hung out, Orona said. We made music together. I helped her do a music video for her own artist project, and then we just started to become really good friends. And one night during Scorpio season, like late October, Zandi and I were supposed to go on, like, dates with our significant others. We both got bailed on, so we just, like, hung out together. And then we just decided to make something together for real. And thats literally how Scorpio SZN came to be. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The duo would later leave and return to New Mexico. Each moved to Florida and lived there at different times. Orona, who is originally from Albuquerque, remains in Florida, and Ashley is now back in Rio Rancho. Ashley persuaded Orona to move to Florida to attend Full Sail University in Winter Park, where she had gone to school. The duo scheduled Zoom meetings to write music. Their recently released single, Sugar Sugar, was one of the songs written during the Zoom sessions. The song was Oronas final project at the university. While he was working on it, I was writing the lyrics, I was actually back living at my moms in Rio Rancho when we were doing the writing process, Ashley said. So we were on Zoom having a writing session. I was just so proud to hear what he had come up with, because hes has come such a long way in producing. And it was just really fun to write. Ashleys lyrics in the song stemmed from personal experience. Musically, Orona was inspired by Japanese city pop and incorporated the genre in the song. Armando was telling me that city pop has this nostalgic feeling, Ashley said. So I kind of wanted to incorporate that in the lyrics, just having an adventure with someone and just having that story and having a fun time with another person with this significant other, and thats how I came up with Sugar Sugar. Sugar Sugar is lively and funky. Im a sucker for bass lines, Orona said.There are really funky bass lines. And city pop has a lot of funk, plus usually it has a lot of brass. I remember when Zandi and I were doing the Zoom writing call, I told her I was going to leave a space for a saxophone. Thats why I have the saxophone on there. But it was definitely influenced by city pop. (There are) so many elements that my ear gets drawn to as a former brass player and enthusiast of funky bass lines and funky music in general. Scorpio SZN has released a dozen singles. Listeners can hear a variety of genres incorporated in the duos music including jazz, Latin and R&B. Scorpio SZN has created quite a buzz for itself. The duo was named one of five finalists for NPRs Tiny Desk competition. Its video for the song Five was featured in the Recording Academys GrammyU 2020 Virtual Conference. Its songs can be found on most music platforms, and its videos can be found by searching Scorpio SZN on YouTube. U.S. President Joe Biden says the United States supports Ukraine against the backdrop of Russias aggression and calls on the Kremlin to de-escalate and return to constructive dialogue. He said this during a press briefing at the White House on Thursday, April 15, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. I made clear to President Putin [during the last phone call] that the United States is unwavering in our support of our allies and partners in Europe. In that vein, I expressed concern about Russias military buildup on Ukraines border and in occupied Crimea, the U.S. president said. He stressed that he also affirmed U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine against the background of the escalation of Russia's aggressive behavior in the region. Now is the time to de-escalate, Biden said to Putin. In this regard, he suggested that the Russian leader conduct a constructive dialogue, in particular, during the bilateral summit in Europe this summer. At the same time, Biden stressed that the United States cannot allow a foreign power to interfere in its democratic process with impunity. My bottom line is this: Where it is in the interest of the United States to work with Russia, we should and we will. Where Russia seeks to violate the interests of the United States, we will respond. And well always stand in defense of our country, our institutions, our people, and our allies, the U.S. president stressed. As Ukrinform reported, on Thursday, April 15, U.S. President Joe Biden issued an executive order imposing new sanctions and restrictions on Russia in response to actions by the Russian government and intelligence services against U.S. interests and sovereignty. Photo credit: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images ish SEATTLE, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Return Home, the world's first large-scale Terramation (human composting) facility is delighted to announce the launch of Preturn Home, a pre-purchase plan that allows people to be terramated when they die. The company's proprietary Terramation service transforms human remains into soil within 60 days and takes place inside a sealed, environmentally controlled vessel. Return Home's Terramation Pre-Purchase Plan starts at $4,950 and is backed by United Heritage Insurance. "In buying Preturn Home, our customers can rest easy knowing that their last act on the planet will be to give back rather than pollute it," said Micah Truman, CEO and founder of Return Home. Terramation comes with cost advantages. The national price of cremation ranges from $4,000 to $7,000, while the average cost of a funeral and burial is $7,360, according to 2021 data from the National Funeral Directors Association. Promising future impact Washington legalized Terramation as a method of disposition in May 2020, and is the first state in the nation to do so. California, Colorado and New York appear close to ratification as well, with legislative approval expected for all three states in 2022. Each year, the funeral industry releases 30 million board feet of wood, 1.6 million tons of concrete and 750,000 gallons of embalming fluid into the earth because of burial. One cremation burns approximately 30 gallons of fuel, or enough to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back. "The current funeral industry is destroying our planet," said Truman. "Terramation provides peace of mind for you and your loved ones, knowing that your last act is to give back." About Return Home Return Home is the world's first large-scale funeral service that uses Terramation to organically transform a body into soil. Return Home has the capacity to transform 72 bodies per month and operates out of a 11,500 square-foot facility located in Auburn, Wash. For more information: www.returnhome.com/prepurchase. SOURCE Return Home Related Links https://www.returnhome.com This undated photo provided by Taylor family attorney Sam Aguiar shows Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky. She was shot when detectives serving a no-knock warrant busted into her apartment on March 13, 2020. Taylor's boyfriend fired at the officers, believing they were being robbed. (Photo provided by Taylor family attorney Sam Aguiar via AP) PHOTO:Photo provided by Taylor family attorney Sam Aguiar via AP Publisher Won't Distribute Book by Officer By The Associated Press LOUISVILLE - The Louisville police officer who fired at Breonna Taylor after being shot during the deadly raid on Taylors apartment is writing a book, but a publishing giant is declining to distribute it.Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and another officer fired shots that hit Taylor during the March 2020 narcotics raid that yielded no drugs.Mattingly was shot in the leg by Taylors boyfriend. Mattinglys book will be published by Tennessee-based Post Hill Press.Simon & Schuster has an agreement with Post Hill but says it will not distribute this book.News of Mattinglys book drew online criticism Thursday.Post Hill has said Mattingly deserves to be able to tell his account publicly. Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-16 07:29:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BUENOS AIRES, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Argentina on Thursday reported 24,999 new COVID-19 infections and 383 more deaths in the past 24 hours, for a cumulative total of 2,629,156 cases and 58,925 deaths, the Ministry of Health said. The province of Buenos Aires, with 1,130,148, and the city of Buenos Aires, with 297,569, have the highest number of total cases. Also on Thursday, the administration of President Alberto Fernandez announced greater mobility restrictions and the closing of educational establishments starting next Monday. Meanwhile, Health Minister Carla Vizzotti told journalists that 864,000 vaccines will arrive on Sunday from the AstraZeneca laboratory from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. "Argentina's objective is to sustain what was achieved last year, which was a stronger and more responsive health system. But if we do not reduce the transmission of the virus, it will be difficult," the official said. Argentina is under preventive and mandatory social distancing measures until April 30. Enditem Graphical abstract. Credit: Neuron (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.03.026 Look deep inside the brain of someone with Alzheimer's disease, most forms of dementia or the concussion-related syndrome known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and you'll find a common suspected culprit: stringy, hairball-like tangles of a protein called tau. Such conditions, collectively known as "tauopathies" strike scores of people across the globe, with Alzheimer's alone affecting six million people in the United States. But more than a century after German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer discovered tau tangles, scientists still have much to learn about them. A University of Colorado Boulder study, published this week in the journal Neuron, shows for the first time that tau aggregates gobble up RNA, or ribonucleic acid, inside cells and interfere with an integral mechanism called splicing, by which cells ultimately produce needed proteins. "Understanding how tau leads to neurodegeneration is the crux of not just understanding Alzheimer's disease but also multiple other neurological diseases," said senior author Roy Parker, a professor of biochemistry and director of the BioFrontiers Institute at CU Boulder. "If we can understand what it does and how it goes bad in disease we can develop new therapies for conditions that now are largely untreatable." The study was led by Evan Lester, an M.D./Ph.D. candidate in the Medical Scientist Training Program, which enables students to simultaneously work toward a medical degree from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and a Ph.D. from CU Boulder. For part of his medical training, Lester worked alongside doctors and patients at the CU Alzheimer's and Cognition Center in Denver, seeing up close how critically more research is needed. "There is nothing we can do for these patients right nowno disease modifying-treatments for Alzheimer's or most of the other tauopathies," Lester said, noting that 70% of neurodegenerative diseases are believed to be at least partially related to tau aggregates. For the study, the researchers isolated tau aggregates from cell lines and from the brains of mice with an Alzheimer's-like condition. Then they used genetic sequencing techniques to determine what was inside. They confirmed for the first time that tau aggregates contain RNA, or ribonucleic acid, a single-stranded molecule key for synthesizing proteins in cells. They identified what kind of RNA it is, specifically snRNA, or small nuclear RNA, and snoRNA, or small nucleolar RNA. They also discovered that tau interacts with pieces of cellular machinery known as nuclear speckles, sequestering and displacing proteins inside them and disrupting a process called RNA splicing in which the cell weeds out unneeded material to generate new, healthy RNA. "The tau aggregates appear to be sequestering splicing-related RNA and proteins, disrupting their normal function and impairing the cell's ability to make proteins," said Lester. Notably, scientists examining the brains of Alzheimer's patients after death have discovered evidence of splicing-related defects in cells. The paper is the first in a series out of Parker's lab to explore the mechanism of action by which tau aggregates gum up the works inside brain cells. Already, several companies have clinical trials underway testing drugs that would do away with tau entirely in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. But that could potentially have unintended consequences, said Lester. "A big problem in the field is that no one really knows what tau does in healthy people and It likely has important functions when not in tangles," he said. By better understanding precisely what it does to harm and kill cells, Parker and Lester hope to bring a different approach to the table. "The idea would be to intervene in the abnormal functions while preserving the normal functions of tau," Lester said. While it's unlikely his current patients will benefit from his discovery, someday his future patients just might. Explore further Researchers reveal unusual chemistry of protein with role in neurodegenerative disorders More information: Evan Lester et al. Tau aggregates are RNA-protein assemblies that mislocalize multiple nuclear speckle components, Neuron (2021). Journal information: Neuron Evan Lester et al. Tau aggregates are RNA-protein assemblies that mislocalize multiple nuclear speckle components,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.03.026 There have been touching tributes from Prince Charles, tears from the Countess of Wessex, rosy family photographs from the Duchess of Cambridge, St Fergie of Condolence nipping over to comfort the Queen. We had Prince Andrew sidling in from stage right, hoping everyone will forget the embarrassments of the recent past; Princess Anne paying tribute to her 'teacher, supporter and critic' and Princess Eugenie rather patronisingly promising to 'look after Granny' while 94-year-old Granny was already out there, having returned to royal duties four days after the death of her husband. As Prince Philip lies in rest at Windsor Castle, his nearest and dearest are preparing themselves for his funeral tomorrow as only they know how. Yet nestled among the tea and the nation's sympathies has been an unedifying row over who will and who won't be allowed to wear military uniform to the service. First, Prince Harry is not entitled to wear a dress uniform, after stepping down from royal duties in January 2020. Adding to the mess is Andrew, who wanted to go as a full admiral naval officer, not butterfly. But that might not be entirely appropriate, given the Jeffrey Epstein allegations that, although consistently denied, forced his withdrawal from public life. As Prince Philip lies in rest at Windsor Castle, his nearest and dearest are preparing themselves for his funeral. Pictured: Charles, Philip, William and Harry On a human level, one might have hoped these two ex-military men should be able to wear what they want to honour their grandfather and father. Yet to save the blushes of all, especially Harry, the Queen has ruled that senior royals will wear morning dress instead. No! This decision might be circumspect, it might be pragmatic, even wise. But might it not be ultimately diminishing, too? For what is the point of the Royal Family if not to be medalled and beribboned, striding about at some great event with ceremonial swords at their hips and plumes of ostrich feathers a-billow in their silly hats? We need them in medieval velvet capes, we want to see them groan under the weight of flashing epaulettes and grids of gold buttons visible from the cheap seats. What we need, above all, is the circumstance of pomp. And such gilded signifiers of rank and status are terribly important, for what are the Windsors without them? Just another bunch of no-talents with an ancestor, as Kathy Burke might say. Those who believe that all formality is a front, and that the only point of a royal veneer is that it should crack well, this is their moment. Nestled among the nation's sympathies has been an unedifying row over who will and who won't be allowed to wear military uniform to the service One can see why HM has made this decision, because the potential for embarrassment is profound. Picture Charles with his overhang of medals, none of them for valour in combat, wreathed in a sadness that seems to have aged him immeasurably in the space of a week. Next to him is William, roped in gold braid and cold fury. Andrew hides behind a pillar, anxiously counting the rows of frogging on his sleeves. And then comes the treacherous Harry, humiliated in the sackcloth of an ordinary suit and his terrible socks; a Coriolanus thrust into the marketplace to show his wounds. Some might say it is no more than he deserves, and they have a point. Yet this decision to have a mufti funeral might well go down in history as another turning point in the Royal Family fortunes. And that turn will be a downward one: a lurch onto the thinning ice of the empire as the ragbag of headstrong younger royals skate ever faster towards the igloo of irrelevance. This kind of capitulation makes the Windsors seem porous and vulnerable, under siege from the wrecking ball of the Sussexes and the creeping predications of the woke mob. Because once we start to question the military uniforms, we start to question everything. And soon it will become impossible to ignore the preposterousness of the very existence of the House of Windsor, in the minds of the disbelievers, at any rate. Whether the princes are in morning suits or military uniforms or dressed as penguins, nothing can fill the fissure of discord at the heart of this sad day. Pictured: Prince Andrew Of course, this is the absolute last thing the Queen needs right now. But funerals, like weddings, tend to expose family tensions. Behind this carefully planned event one can sense the jostle for status and positioning, the weight of secret showdowns and overruled requests and not just among the men. Prince Philip's close confidante Lady Romsey will be there tomorrow but there is still no place for Sarah, Duchess of York. She remains unforgiven, a pariah, even after a death. This seems incredibly harsh, considering that Prince Andrew has done more to embarrass himself and the Royal Family than she ever did. However, the show must go on and the Windsors will once more display to the world their collective gift for impassive ceremony, despite the churning human emotions that lie beneath. And tomorrow, the primed canvas awaits. Yet whether the princes are in morning suits or military uniforms or dressed as penguins, nothing can fill the fissure of discord at the heart of this sad day, and the fact that two brothers who were once close cannot even walk together behind their grandfather's coffin. All this in a family ceremony rinsed of pageantry and personal signifiers of extraordinary and unique status? Perhaps Harry and Meghan will see this banishment of military uniforms this willingness to bend tradition to save face and keep Harry happy at all costs as a personal triumph. Their modern will, their wish to be their authentic selves, conquered the stuffy rules of the Palace. Only in years to come will the Windsors perhaps realise that, in a way, they were watching their own funeral, too. 175m for a flat? It's like taking Candy from a baby Britain's most expensive flat is on sale for 175 million. Overlooking Harrods in Central London, the 18,000 sq ft duplex penthouse at One Hyde Park has a private spa, cinema, cocktail bar and five 'luxury' bedrooms. How on earth can they justify the price? It has to be a joke. It is owned by Nick Candy, who presumably lived there at one point with his wife, Holly Valance. Can the couple have enjoyed inhabiting such a soulless, taste-free zone; all sharp edges, ghastly fittings and hotel lobby vibes? Gary Hersham, of estate agency Beauchamp Estates, which is selling the property, says One Hyde Park is 'probably the finest building' in England. I think we can all agree it probably is not. I pass it on the bus often, and can report it has all the allure of a municipal block in downtown Dubai. And surely buyers want more for their money than a pathetic 'cocktail bar'. The flat is owned by Nick Candy, who presumably lived there at one point with his wife, Holly Valance (pictured together) One of my favourite pastimes is perusing the websites of high-end estate agents in California, where properties come equipped with everything to tempt the super-rich. It's gasping! They have breakfast nooks, staff wings, guest suites, offices, media lounges, pavilions, zero-edge swimming pools, music rooms, sun rooms, onyx-topped wet bars, skylit libraries, mirror-walled gyms, spas, discos, dual-island chef's kitchens, master retreat suites, home theatres, maids' quarters, 'snack peninsulas' where you can eat crisps and even an 'indoor breezeway'. I don't know what that is, but I want one. And Beauchamp Estates will have to try far harder to shift its charmless monstrosity. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Repeat after me. A staycation is when you stay at home. A holiday is when you go on holiday. Even when you take a holiday in the country you live in, it is still a holiday, it is not a staycation. Thank you. How DID Gregg the Egg get the gig? This year's MasterChef was won by charming Tom Rhodes, who reverse-seared his steak, deep-fried an oyster and did something unspeakable with liquorice. He also did all his learning from cookbooks and you can sort of tell. According to the judges, Tom's stand-out dish was olive-oil ice cream, garnished with pepper and salt. What did that taste like, Gregg Wallace? This year's MasterChef was won by charming Tom Rhodes (pictured), who reverse-seared his steak, deep-fried an oyster and did something unspeakable with liquorice 'You start off with sweet, creamy ice cream and you end up with peppery olive oil and a little bit of salt,' he said. 'It is playing with me in a really delightful, delicious way.' Well, that is a ghastly thought, isn't it? Let's quickly move on. The amazing thing about MasterChef is that it survives despite everything. Despite so many of the dishes being a pastiche of the worst kind of fine dining restaurant cooking. Despite so many of the cooks being terrible cooks. But mostly despite Gregg the Egg being totally unable to explain how something tastes and why it is good or bad. How on earth did he get that job? It's almost as mysterious as Tom's ice cream. The callous treatment of Callas Maria Callas's biography details her rather brutish life; her nasty parents and her nasty Onassis lover were all nasty to her. Onassis spent almost a decade with the greatest soprano who ever lived but he never appreciated her voice and would slip away from her concerts, which he found boring. Poor Maria. She was still spirited enough to put down her great soprano rival Renata Tebaldi Callas compared their voices as being like 'champagne and Coca-Cola'. That is rather cruel, but it is also true. Maria Callas's (pictured) biography details her rather brutish life; her nasty parents and her nasty Onassis lover were all nasty to her I got my hair cut on Wednesday, what joy. I've always loved salon appointments, but now it seems like an impossible luxury. To be back in a Daniel Galvin salon, with Cheryl wielding the scissors and many months of lockdown madness being shorn off? Bliss. However, I almost miss the mess. One good thing about lockdown was that expectations were so low in so many ways, certainly when it came to appearances. I liked our shaggy office camaraderie, with usually bandbox-smart journalists looking unkempt, hairy and a little bit wild. Some of us were out and proud with exposed roots, others looked like coconuts, shaven headed criminals or members of The Sweet pop group. I even wore my jeans to work, unheard of in Daily Mail towers! Now the curse of smart has returned and there is no escape. The men have reverted to short back and sides, the women no longer look like Tina Turner and I have bought a hand-held steamer to iron my blouses. To be honest, I'm a little bit sad to leave the hairy monster days behind, but onwards we must go. Line Of Duty can no longer be cool for Keir Starmer has declared himself a fan. In an awkward bid for popularity and voter connection at PMQs this week, the Opposition leader used the popular BBC drama as a reference point when talking about government sleaze. 'I think that AC-12 are needed to get to the bottom of this one,' he said in a direct reference to the anti-corruption unit in the show. Line Of Duty can no longer be cool for Keir Starmer has declared himself a fan. Pictured: DS Steve Arnott and Superintendent Ted Hastings 'We are getting on with rooting out bent coppers,' he added. Mother of Cod(swallop)! Please don't drag my darling Ted Hastings into the House of Commons. It would be the final blow for the beleaguered gaffer. Ma'am will suffice, Sir Keir. As you were. South Africans who want to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and are over the age of 60 can register through the electronic vaccination data system (EVDS) from 16:00 today. The Department of Healths chief director Dr Lesley Bamford said only people who registered on the system will be vaccinated. People without Internet access will be assisted with their registration. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said all steps of the vaccination process will be available through walk-in services where people will be helped to register. Those unable to self-register can visit walk-in centres and vaccination sites, Mkhize said. Bamford previously said online registration for all South Africans who want to receive vaccines will open on 16 April. However, on Friday morning only healthcare workers and people over 60 were allowed to register. It is not clear whether this will change in the coming days. People under the age of 60 who try to register are met with the message: Please note that registration for vaccination is currently only open for those that are 60 years or older. Those under 60 years of age will be invited to register at a future date. The Department of Health added that the system will be live at 16:00 today, and that it is only in demo mode now. After a person has registered on the system and they become eligible to be vaccinated, they will receive an SMS with the date, time, and venue where they will receive the vaccine. Bamford said there will be a range of public and private sector vaccination sites which include: Health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and GP practices. Non-health sites such as schools, church halls, shopping centres and work-based occupational health sites. When people present themselves at a site to receive the vaccine, there is a procedure which will be followed. This procedure includes being tested for COVID-19, identification, and a consent process. COVID-19 screening People who test positive for COVID-19 will not be allowed to receive the vaccine. They will be given an opportunity to be vaccinated later. Identification Everyone will be required to provide proof of identity through an ID card, drivers licence, or equivalent. Medical aid members are requested to bring these details along. Consent There is a short consent process and a few questions to make sure that theres no contraindication. Post vaccine After a person received the vaccine, they will be observed for 15 minutes. Follow-up People will receive an SMS which confirms they have been vaccinated. If they require a second dose, they will receive a date for the second dose. While the vaccination registrations are now open for all South Africans, the vaccines will only be rolled out later. The new phase of South Africas vaccine rollout will begin on 17 May, Mkhize said. He said this new vaccination phase should take six months and would therefore be wrapped up in October. How to register People who would like to register to be vaccinated should visit the electronic vaccination data system (EVDS) website. The government explained the information submitted during registration will be used to identify eligible vaccination beneficiaries and to plan the supply of vaccines and ancillary items. Residential data are needed to allocate beneficiaries to their nearest available service point while contact details will be used to communicate with people about the vaccination program. To register, people need to have access to the Internet, their ID number or Passport, and general contact information, including a cellphone number. Other required information includes your primary employer and location of work, professional registration details, and medical aid. With all information at hand registration should take between 2 and 3 minutes. The registration process is as follows: Visit the landing page and enter your South African ID Number. and enter your South African ID Number. Enter your general information name and surname, date of birth, gender, email address, and mobile number. Provide your employment and medical aid details if applicable. Select your primary location of work and health establishment (from a dropdown list). To complete the registration, accept the terms and conditions and click Submit Registration. The final screen will confirm that your registration has been successful and you will receive an SMS notification confirming that your registration has been received by the EVDS. Electronic vaccination data system (EVDS) President Joe Bidens strategy of bolstering labor unions as a way to enhance American workers pay is running up against a half century of setbacks for organizing workers. In a high-profile move last week, Amazon.com Inc. workers at a Bessemer, Alabama, warehouse voted against joining a retail union, despite a pro-labor video message to the distribution workers from Biden. Labor union membership has slumped to 10.8% of wage-and-salary employees in 2020 from almost a third of workers in 1960. The globalization of supply chains, technological advancements that allow companies to replace labor, legal barriers to organizing and the shrinking share of factory workers traditionally easier to organize in the workforce have all taken a toll. Creating good-paying, union jobs is a centerpiece of Bidens $2.25 trillion infrastructure-focused economic plan, which also calls for new laws to encourage unions. Even in the face of automation and globalization, America can and must retain well-paid union jobs and create more of them all across the country, according to a White House summary. Wage growth was relatively subdued for most of the 2010s expansion. With unemployment still elevated in the wake of the pandemic, boosting productivity and generating a tight labor market may provide a more viable path to raising pay than unionizing. It will be very hard to resuscitate unions and collective bargaining in their current form, said Harry Holzer, a Georgetown University professor and former U.S. Labor Department chief economist during the Clinton administration. While I am sympathetic to strengthening unions, I am very pessimistic. Biden is pushing to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) bill, which is intended to boost union membership after decades of decline. While the House approved the measure in March, it faces long odds in the Senate, where it will need the support of at least 10 Republicans. Lost Wages That proposal would abolish state right-to-work laws that ban mandatory collection of dues or fees as a condition of employment, penalize employers that retaliate among union drives and extend federal labor rights to many workers currently classified as independent contractors, among other measures. While the White House continues to push the bill as a priority, the administration has other tools, such as directing federal spending to American-made goods. The president is going to be looking for more ways and more opportunities to strengthen worker organizing and empower workers because he thinks its absolutely critical to his economic agenda, to American democracy and to countering corporate abuse and the power of Wall Street in policy making, said Seth Harris, deputy assistant to the president and a labor adviser. Tim Schlittner, a spokesperson for the AFL-CIO, said that while the union is strongly advocating for the PRO Act, the infrastructure proposal would still be very good for working people without the measure. Declining unionization translates to a loss of $1.56 per hour worked, the equivalent of $3,250 for a full-time, full-year worker, according to an estimate by the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute. Celine McNicholas, EPIs director of government affairs and labor counsel, said that tying federal contract dollars to union jobs wouldnt be sufficient for creating a workforce with strong union density. It will make a difference, but you absolutely need meaningful labor-law reform, not nibbling around the edges and offering piecemeal measures, she said. The system is fundamentally broken and requires fundamental reform. Campaign Fizzles American companies have mostly resisted unions, as Amazon has. Manufacturers have built factories in other countries to help neutralize U.S. unions. But even industries where work cant be moved abroad like warehousing, trucking and retail have seen steady erosion in unions and the rise of nonunion employers. In the Amazon defeat, organized labor failed to win the hearts and minds of workers despite a pandemic that put a spotlight on front-line worker safety. Falling unionization has contributed to rising inequality among American workers, and just stabilizing the trend would make a difference, said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moodys Analytics. Unionization has steadily declined over the past several decades, and arresting its decline wont be easy or immediate, he said. But if we are going to address the income and wealth inequities, it is important for policy to be a tailwind to unionization and not a headwind. While unions may be a factor in pay, prospects for a tighter labor market offer the promise of raising incomes. Biden has touted his economic proposals as helping to return the U.S. to full employment relatively quickly. Pay for hourly workers and minorities accelerated in 2019 as the U.S. unemployment rate fell to the lowest level in half a century. Economists are forecasting the jobless rate will drop to 3.8% by 2023, creating more bidding by employers for hard-to-hire workers. In addition, economists say raising productivity will be a significant factor in long-term compensation trends. Increased union organizing is unlikely to contribute to an increase in wage growth in the long run, said Bart Hobijn, an Arizona State University economist who formerly worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. What drives wage growth in the long run are technology and globalization as well as education and infrastructure investment. ___ For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC DUBLIN, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "CIO Management Tool Kit - 2021 Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. CIO management concerns are constantly changing but the solutions are always centered around three factors: technology, infrastructure and people This tool kit has been updated to meet all of the EU's GDPR mandated requirements. In addition, it now reflects all of the requirements of the newly enacted California Privacy Act and contains the Privacy Compliance Policy with its associated electronic forms and job descriptions. The combined length of all the components of the tool kit is over 2,100 pages. CIO Management Toolkit CIOs and CTOs are in a constantly evolving field, however, world class CIOs and CTOs focus on three areas to help them manage more effectively. This toolkit bundle is a collection of the latest CIO's tools which have proven to be the most productive. Top CIO Management and Planning Priorities In a recent survey of CIO and C-Level executives, Janco identified the top 10 management and planning priorities that CIOs face and they relate to the three areas mentioned above. Top CIO Management and Planning Priorities The top 10 concerns are the areas of focus for CIO and enterprises: Access Management - Network management and control now have an even greater role than before. In January, 69% of the individual interviewed placed that in the top ten. Now it is a priority for 89%. Work From Home - Was not even on the radar in January at 7% (not a high priority) and now 87% place it in the top 10. Mobile Computing - Mobile and end user computing require applications to be outward facing, functional on a myriad of devices, and user friendly for WFH staffers. Now is a priority for 85% of the interviewees versus 76% in January. Blockchain, ERP, and Cloud - Moved down the priority list from 85% to 75% . Social Media Impact - remained about the same with 75% to 78% Security and Hacking - Internal and external threats are on the increase, especially as enterprises continue to increase the growth of mobile and wireless based applications. In both periods surveyed this was a top ten priority by 73% of the individuals interviewed. Staffing - That was the top priority in January at 95% saying it was a priority to 63% saying that it was something that needs to be focused on. A number of the CFOs in the survey noted that they may need to let some non-critical IT professionals go if the re-opening of the US market is slow. Skills for New Technologies - Along with staffing this now is a lower priority. The focus has shifted from new technologies except in the areas associated with the remote workforce. Risk Management - Remains in about the same position in priority as before. Data Privacy - With the rise of WFH, GDPR and CCPA data privacy is a top ten priority for 53% of the interviewees versus 42% in January. ROI on New Technology - Still important but has dropped out of the top 10 priority list with the emphasis on staying in business. Key Topics Covered: The CIO Management Tool Kit components are over 2,100 pages in length is provided in MS WORD and PDF formats and includes the following: Security Manual Template - 2021 Edition How to Guide for Cloud Processing and Outsourcing - 2021 Edition IT Job Family Classification HandiGuide 312 Job Descriptions as individual MS Word files - 2021 Edition Interview and Hiring Guide - 2021 Edition Latest IT Salary Survey CIO IT Infrastructure Policy Bundle plus Electronic Forms - Premium Bundle - 2021 Edition Business and IT Impact Questionnaire - 2021 Edition Vulnerability and Threat Assessment Tool - 2021 Edition For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e2o7ie 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 100 years ago 1921 Work will be started next week by the district attorneys office on the preparation of the list of the May term of criminal court, which starts Monday, May 2. Several big cases were postponed from last term and a number of cases have already been returned from the coming session. 75 years ago 1946Seventeen new members were admitted into Post 25 AMVETS of Pottsville at a regular meeting in the past home Monday evening. 50 years ago 1971The parade of young spelling champions is under way as schools from all parts of Schuylkill County gird for the finals of the annual REPUBLICAN spelling bee. 25 years ago 1996 FRACKVILLE When a 30-member Ukrainian dance ensemble arrived in America for its first time Monday, its destination was Schuylkill County. The Black Sea Ukrainian Dance Ensemble is here to perform their county show will be Thursday in Pottsville and to experience the United States. We want to introduce them to America, to absorb America which is going to be good for their soul and experience, said Black Sea producer Leonid L. Oleksiuk, president of Encore Productions, Lakewood Ohio. And hopefully it will give them a greater desire to work even harder so the ensemble will become even stronger, he added. Former Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu said on Friday that he had not yet made a decision on his political activity, but added that he still wanted to help change things in the healthcare field and help those in need. "What is very clear to me is that I want to continue to help change things in health and to help those in need. It is something beyond the title of politician or minister or. It is my purpose, what I want to do with my life at this point," Voiculescu told a press conference at the Parliament Palace. Asked if he thinks his political career has come to an end, Voiculescu replied: "That remains to be seen. But it is too harsh a matter, I must first decide what I will do next. It was not an easy moment for me."The former minister confessed that he blames himself for not having an optimal communication.He also stated that he sees in his place, at the Ministry of Health, "a better, more skilled man."Asked if he will support Ioana Mihaila for the position of Minister of Health, if this is the USR PLUS (Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity, Solidarity Party) proposal, the former minister specified that he will offer her his support. Targeted for Unions everywhere LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / April 16, 2021 / DLT Resolution Inc. (OTC PINK:DLTI) is pleased to announce its wholly owned, Union Strategies' "YOUnified" platform is seeing strong demand with Unions since its launch in March 2021. As more features for YOUnified continue to roll out, more and more Unions are looking to get on this platform. Within the last week alone, around ten existing clients of Union Strategies have successfully onboarded to the platform, making YOUnified a one stop shop to run their business as a union. USI has also successfully onboarded two new clients within this past week alone, and given another two demos to potential clients who are highly interested in using YOUnified. As more features such as Social Media campaigns, virtual computers, soft phones, and specific documents uploads continue to go live, more and more clients are being able to successfully utilize the platform - eliminating the need for external services. Commenting on the news, DLT Resolution Inc.'s President & CEO John S. Wilkes stated "Union Strategies made every effort to make this App as adaptable and simple as possible for every age demographic. Members will be blown away on how easy and effective this platform will be for them. While I am not surprised, I am delighted to see the early acceptance of the platform with Unions to date." What is YOUnified? YOUnified combines the many required services to run the business of a union into one unified platform. YOUnified's goal is to assist in increasing member engagement, decrease the local's expenses, and save everyone time. With this App, Unions will have everything they require to connect with their members, as well as maintain the local's needs. YOUnified allows the union to push notify members of any, and every, important update with just a simple click of a button. You can notify members of an important meeting, election, or reminders of significant dates. In short, this app is truly made for everyone - from the Executive to the members. Some of the basic features include the following: Call Drops Email Blast Text Blasts Mailing Labels Voting Conference Center Accounting Virtual Meetings Cloud Networking Push notifications IT Support Social media Graphics YOUnified holds different features for different viewers. An example being, an Executive member will have access to perform call drops, text blasts, email blasts, and everything in between, where as a member will be able to receive these important updates, connect with their Executive Board, purchase "swag" and much more! About Union Strategies USI has been providing a suite of products and services to Unions for over 10 years. The company designs, builds, and executes programs resulting in greater success for unions. Programs are designed to engage the membership, decrease expenses, and save time for a more productive business. The Company's suite includes secure electronic voting, Telecommunications, Event Management, Professional Writing, Social Media Management, Web Design, Graphic Services, and Promotional Offerings. The company is a one-stop-shop for all things union. The company has more than 130 clients that are considered "mid-market" in terms of overall size of the particular local with 450,000 members. USI operates nationally in Canada and looks to expand into the USA in 2021. Learn more at: UnionStrategiesinc.com About DLT Resolution Inc. DLT Resolution Inc. currently operates in three high-tech industry segments: Blockchain Applications & Cyber Security; Telecommunications; and Data Services which includes Image Capture, Data Collection, Data Phone Center Services, and Payment Processing. Its clients represent some of the top businesses from a variety of sectors. DLT Resolution helps organizations that have invoices, ledgers, statements, applications, surveys, employee and customer rewards programs and a wide range of other non-core functions benefit from data management. DLT Resolution also operates a Health Information Exchange providing the ability to request and retrieve medical information & records while meeting all of today's Security & Compliance demands for HIPAA, PIPEDA and PHIPA. Through RecordsBank, the Company offers an easy to use online gateway to its centralized system for patients, lawyers and insurers to retrieve and access medical records. Learn more at: DLTResolution.com. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements The use of the word "company" or "Company" refers to DLT Resolution Incorporated and its wholly owned subsidiaries. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In accordance with the safe harbor provisions of this Act, statements contained herein that look forward in time that include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's actual results. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. DLT Resolution may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, in its annual report to stockholders, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the company, including, but not limited to, plans and objectives of management for future operations or products, the market acceptance or future success of our products, and our future financial performance. The company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors including, but not limited to, those set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (available at http://www.sec.gov). DLT Resolution undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Nothing within this communication is meant to be a solicitation to buy or sell our securities. Investing in over the counter (OTC) securities often carries a high degree of risk. Please contact your financial advisor before investing in our securities. CONTACT: Website: www.dltresolution.com SOURCE: DLT Resolution Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/640683/DLT-Resolutions-Union-Strategies-Continues-To-Deploy-Both-Existing-and-New-Clients-With-New-YOUnified-App-Platform Last Friday evening, Darrin Reay left his home in southwest Colorado to meet friends at a remote camping spot he loved surrounded by sandstone cliffs in the desert beyond Moab, Utah. When he arrived, he was alarmed to hear the suggestion of climbing a bolted route. Reay knew of no drilling on this certain slab, no anchors to hold climbers' clips. And that was for the good of ancient art on the rock above, left by Indigenous people more than 1,000 years ago. "I started climbing," Reay recalled, "and I look up, and all of a sudden I'm standing before a giant petroglyph with a line of bolts going right through the middle of it." He was "horrified and angry." He called his old mentor, Stewart Green, the Colorado Springs-based writer and historian who is something of an authority in American climbing, an advocate born from the sport's 1970s emersion in the West. Green couldn't believe it. "What the hell?" he remarked. Thus sparked an online storm of outrage that swirled with fears of lost privileges for climbers in the legendary desert, where long before them Ancestral Puebloans and Fremont people left their marks sacred places for descendants today, reminders of the culture that came first in the region. Bolts have since been removed from the outcrop known as Sunshine Wall north of Arches National Park. But damage to the petroglyphs is forever, said Elizabeth Hora, archaeologist for the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. Hora called damage "shockingly common" around the state. "And it's heartbreaking, and it's a little different every year," she said. "People are very creative in the way they damage things, which just means we don't have a very good understanding of what it is driving behaviors. "But we firmly believe here in our office that shaming and blaming is not the way to make change." She considered herself and colleagues "horrified" by what they read across social media: comments threatening to kill the perpetrator. Richard Gilbert, 36, of Colorado Springs has confessed guilt. Along with death threats, he told The Gazette someone proposed his hands be cut off. "I deserve it," he said of the scorn. "I'll take it." Late last month, Gilbert said, he posted a description of his bolted route that he called Peaches, rated a gentle 5.3. This description came with his mention of "graffiti." Upon reading comments to the post, Gilbert said he became convinced late Sunday that he mistook the images. Soon after, he said, he left the Springs to report to a ranger at Moab's Bureau of Land Management field office. Under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, first-time violators could be fined up to $20,000 and imprisoned for up to one year. In a statement to The Gazette on Thursday, the BLM declined to provide details "as the placement of the climbing bolts is an active, ongoing investigation." The statement added: "We ask the public to let the appropriate authorities determine next steps. The BLM does not endorse harassment or threatening behavior." On Thursday, Gilbert said he had yet to hear from authorities. He said he was getting rid of his outdoor gear. "Kinda crazy," he said. "You're out there making some routes for some disabled guys and young kids, and then you're sitting in prison." Gilbert said he was medically retired from the military and had been climbing since 2006, traveling to crags around the country after becoming inspired through Wounded Warrior Project. In recent years, he had been bolting routes "so that there's better access for people not just with disabilities," he said, "but also for people learning to climb." While not illegal on all public land, bolting for the sake of low-grade routes is frowned upon in climbing circles. "Mistakes are made, and that doesn't make it any better I know," Gilbert said. "It's not. I made a mistake." They're happening more in Utah's archaeologically-rich landscape, Hora said. She said there was "an explosion" in 2020, the pandemic year marked by unprecedented outdoor crowds, which coincided with reports of spray paint and degradation also to sensitive geology around the Pikes Peak region. Malicious intent was rare in Utah's famed canyonlands and deserts, Hora said. "We make mistakes," she said. "And to be totally honest, my hands are not clean in this either. As an archaeologist here and someone who loves the outdoors and does care about archaeology and prehistoric rock art, I see I'm the one who didn't equip people with the information and knowledge to make good choices." That's the goal of the new, multi-agency Stop Archaeology Vandalism initiative. And it should be the goal among climbers, Green said. "Especially now with the increased number of use, we really need to adopt a Leave No Trace ethic," he said. "A lot of people nowadays are coming out of gyms, and they're having a lot of fun and not really thinking about all we have to do to be a responsible user group." In a joint statement condemning the bolts at Sunshine Wall, some of the nation's lead climbing organizations called archaeological education "essential," saying "the cultural and spiritual value of these places cannot be measured." Land managers have closed climbing areas for past infractions. Reay worried this one would represent another crack at the sport's existential core. "The history of rock climbing is someone did something crazy no one else had done before and risked their life doing it. I don't want us to have to ask for permission to do that," he said. "But at the same time, if people can't do it responsibly, we're gonna be regulated and not allowed to do it again." Born and raised on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, Reay considered Gilbert's act "sacrilegious." Reay called it "arrogant and ignorant." "My main reason for sharing the story is to try to educate other climbers and the public not to repeat these mistakes," Reay said. Gilbert said that was his aim, too. He said he has connected with advocacy groups to help spread the message. "There's no reason for this to have ever happened," he said, "and it definitely never needs to happen again." Two People Dead, Officer Wounded in San Antonio, Texas Police Traffic Stop: Officials Two people were fatally shot and a San Antonio police officer was wounded in what officials said started as a routine traffic stop on Friday morning. The gunfire erupted shortly after police pulled over a car and an officer engaged the driver in what appeared to be casual conversation for a few minutes, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. At some point, Im not sure why, but the driver pulled a gun and started firing and the officer was hit in the hand, McManus told reporters near the scene after reviewing video from the policemans body-worn camera. He retreated backward, returning fire inside the vehicle, he added. The driver and a passenger, both of whom were men estimated to be in their 20s, were killed, McManus said. Another passenger was wounded and was rushed to a hospital. The police chief, stressing that his information was preliminary, said he did not know what prompted the traffic stop. In yet another setback for Google in Australia, the countrys federal court, on Friday, found that the internet search giant was misleading consumers about the personal location data it collects via Android smartphones. Australias competition regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), said that the court found that Googles claims of collecting information only from the location history setting on user devices between January 2017 and December 2018 were false. The ACCC noted that Google also collected data whenever a user turned on a setting to control web and application activity. Notably, the setting was reportedly turned on by default on the devices, thereby helping Google to store and use the data collected without doing many efforts. The court also found that users werent informed that turning off location history wouldnt stop Google from collecting location data if the "Web & App Activity" setting was turned on. The regulator is now seeking penalties from Google. However, it hasnt specified the amount. In response to ACCCs findings, a Google spokesman said that the company rejects many of the competition regulators claims. The company disagreed with the remaining findings and was reviewing its options, including a possible appeal, the spokesperson said. This isnt the first time when Google has found itself in muddy waters in Australia. In the past few months, the tech giant was embroiled in legal action with the Australian government. The authorities have been pushing Google and Facebook to pay digital media firms for hosting their content on the online platforms. The Leaflet. March 30, 2021 The repeal of the three farm laws introduced by the Modi government is a necessary but far from sufficient condition to decisively improve Indian agriculture and the lives of those connected to it. Yet, even if some compromise is struck instead of repeal, it will significantly breach the popularity of the Modi regime. Achin Vanaik explains why. The ongoing struggle of farmers in India is the most significant mass mobilisation in decades and represents the biggest challenge to the Modi government since it first came to power. Its cause: the three agricultural-reform laws forced through Parliament during the lockdown, which the BJP insists are necessary to modernise an archaic and outdated system. Farmers, however, rightly see the dismantling of existing regulation, price controls, and public procurement commitments as imperilling their livelihoods. They fear that opening up the sector corporate agri-businesses and financial interests will lead to more polarisation of landholdings with a large-scale displacement of farmers and labourers into an informal sector (over 90% of the total workforce) already incapable of providing enough or adequately remunerative employment. Since late November 2020, hundreds of thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, have camped on the outskirts of Delhi disrupting the main roads into the capital. Rejecting offers to suspend the new laws, they have remained steadfast in demanding their repeal. On Republic Day 2021, some 5,00,000 people went on a procession along earlier agreed designated routes as a symbolic expression that the day belongs to them as much as to anyone else. However, a few thousand were surprisingly able to take an unblocked route and ended up at the Red Fort in the centre of the city from where a Sikh religious flag was hoisted and some clashes took place between protestors and police. Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence to declare the Red Fort incidents an insult to the country and insist that the reforms would proceed unabated. Hundreds were arrested, journalists reporting on the events were charged, and the authorities then moved to blockade the farmers encampments with razor-sharp Concertina wire, steel spikes implanted in the ground as well as constructing concrete walls. But when the Uttar Pradesh government threatened to evict farmers by midnight of 28 February, following a leadership appeal, thousands more flocked to the occupation sites, first in Uttar Pradesh and then from Punjab and Haryana. At a critical point, just as the government was planning to go on a strong offensive, the farmers struggle got a powerful second wind and the occupations and resistances continue to this day. The Textile Strike and its Aftermath How might we assess the farmer movements chances of success? One way is to compare it to the last mobilisation of an equivalent scale: the Bombay textile workers strike of 1982-83. Then, 2,24,000 of the citys mill workers went on strike, shutting down the industry with demands for increased wages, much better work conditions, and an end to restrictive labour laws that denied them the right to choose another more militant union led by Datta Samant in place of the only officially recognised pro-owners Congress-led union, the Rashtriya Mill Mazdoor Sangh which had done little to nothing for them. Over 58 million person-days were lost contrasted to the 29 million person-days lost by the great British Miners Strike of 1984-85. Despite their great numbers, however, objective circumstances were not in the workers favour. Directed against big and medium mill owners and indirectly against the state, many mill owners were looking to shift production to power looms outside the city, and could expect substantial compensation through land sales, while the Maharashtra government had its eyes on de-industrialising the city in favour of it becoming a commercial-financial centre. Another spur to state intransigence was its awareness that any concession to the Samant union would spread militancy to workers in other industries. For the national government, breaking the strike also fit into larger economic plans. Indias neoliberal shift towards a more globally open economy, with greater privatisation of the public sector and a growing service sector, did not begin with the 1991 economic crisis, but during this period of the 1980s. The struggle then was heroic but isolated, despite some public sympathy from ordinary citizens of Bombay. It lacked strong support from other sectors of the working class or cross-class support and was basically left on its own by the major trade union federations which feared possible membership desertions to Samant, should he triumph. However strong, the strike was essentially a defensive reaction to terrible conditions rather than an expression of a rising class consciousness that might shift the relationship of forces between labour and capital. Railway Strike That shift would have taken place if the 1974 Railway Strike had been successful. That came at the crest of a wider more general wave of labour militancy. It was, till then, the greatest ever strike in the public sector involving 1.7 million or 70% of the total employed by the Railways. It was called off after 20 days (7-28 May) when thousands were arrested, many more suspended, and armed personnel called in to begin running the trains. The Railway strike took place when a mass movement was launched by JP Narayan, who had declared that the youth are the catalyst for a Total Revolution against corruption, class, caste, and communal antagonisms. This agitation spread through urban North India. It was the first such anti-Congress mass movement since Independence, drawing together most opposition parties. This agitation, along with the Railway Strike, were important spurs to Indira Gandhis declaration of Emergency in June 1975. The end of the Emergency and defeat of the Congress in the 1977 elections did not result in an upswing in working-class militancy, though social movements of various kinds arose. Womens Movement and Others These included the rise of an autonomous womens movement sparked by the gang rape in police custody of a tribal girl, Mathura, eventually leading to the formation of the Forum Against Rape in 1979, soon renamed the Forum Against Oppression of Women, and then the inauguration in 1980 of an all-India Network of Autonomous Womens Organisations. In the same period, civil society groups like Nivara Haq Sangarsh Samiti (publicly endorsed by Bollywood star Shabana Azmi) and others emerged to mobilise slum and pavement dwellers to fight evictions and demolitions and for the rights of the homeless in Maharashtra, while student movements erupted in major central universities in Bombay [now Mumbai], Hyderabad, Delhi, West Bengal and elsewhere. Civil liberties groups also sprang up in different provinces to defend human rights, whether violated by the state or others. These groups sought to network nationally in a new context where courts at all levels now sought to atone for their supine behaviour during the Emergency by entertaining Public Interest Litigations of all kinds. The Struggle by Farmers Turning to the farmers struggle today, the numbers at various times have reached 5,00,000 or more, since there is large-scale back-and-forth movement between the occupation sites and villages every few days. The period of sustained blockage at the borders has now lasted for over four months and is continuing. In comparison to the Textile Strike, several significant differences are apparent. The farmer agitation is directly against the Centre overriding state governments, and indirectly against the agri-corporates. With the Centre as the upfront opponent, it has had a far greater nationwide impact, attracting broader sympathy from across the country. After all, close to 50% of the population are either engaged directly in agriculture or backward-forward linkages or in providing goods and services that largely depend on farmer incomes. Cross-occupational sympathy is much greater because of living links with the armed forces, police, lower-level government bureaucracies, and to urban low-level wage earners of various kinds from the self-employed to domestic workers. Its effect, unlike the Textile Strike, has been to put the Centre somewhat on the defensive. The different composition of the farm movement is also striking. The action is led not by those who are separated from the means of production or whom we can call part of the classical working class, as in 1982-83, but by the peasant equivalent of what is sometimes called the petty bourgeoisie. This is not to say that the struggle is not progressive, which it certainly is. From the 1970s and 80s, and even in the 90s, rich farmers led farmers movements and were an important force behind certain regional political parties. But with the growing agrarian crisis, three developments seem to have taken place. First, the power of regional parties has been eroded. Second, the mobilising capacity and leadership by this wealthier strata have to a significant extent given way to that exercised by small and medium-sized farmers organised in unions often led by left forces, particularly in Punjab. Third, greater migration and greater precarity of work among the lower and weaker sections of the landholding peasantry has made farmers acutely aware of the dangers of corporatisation, and the loss of public procurement, and the minimum support price. Compared then to the textile strike, the chances of achieving success are certainly higher, though not at all certain. One major difference is that a great many textile workers had to return to their villages in their home states just to survive leaving a considerably smaller proportion to seek financial support and solidarity through demos, flash strikes, etc. from workers in other industrial and service sectors in Bombay and Maharashtra. In the current struggle of farmers, the lines of communication, material replenishment, and numerical reinforcement when required between the rural backstop and the sites of occupation are much closer and stronger. Can it, therefore, succeed on its own? Even success does not mean that Hindutva hegemony will have been seriously undermined, nor that it will sufficiently shift the general relationship of forces between capital and labour. For that, a much longer and wider collective struggle and the emergence of a national political alternative are required. Certainly, if successful, it would halt for some considerable time the neoliberal corporate strides into Indian agriculture. Defeat, on the other hand, will accelerate the neoliberal push as well as further consolidate the ties between the BJP and capital. The agricultural laws must naturally be opposed, and respect is due to the left leadership of the unions that have constituted the backbone of the struggle but which has its political and theoretical limitations. Unlike industrial unions of individual workers, these are unions of farm owners aspiring to raise incomes within a capitalist framework, who on their own are unlikely to move in an eco-sensitive and larger-scale cooperative ownership direction. This is the only real way to overcome the agrarian crisis, that will remain even if these laws are repealed. That is to say, repeal of these laws is a necessary but far from sufficient condition for a decisive improvement in Indian agriculture and the lives of those connected to this sector. Where Are We Headed? As the first big successful push against the Modi government, this struggle has undeniably encouraged other forms of ongoing opposition. Student and teacher bodies outside the Hindutva tent are similarly angered by the Centres efforts to ideologically homogenise through personnel and curriculum changes the public higher education system. Progressive civil society groups and NGOs are worried by the cumulative assault on democratic rights to curb even the mildest forms of public dissent while draconian laws are being used to frighten, harass, arrest and punish liberal and left activists. Many non-BJP regional parties know they face a force out to eliminate or suborn them politically-electorally. There are then substantial sections of the populace that are wishing success to the farmers and are emboldened to support it for their aims and hopes. But the strength of the current movement comes from the fact that it is (and seen to be) independent of the opposition parties. Moreover, what unites the plethora of representative farm unions in struggle is their common and specific focus on addressing the economic plight of farmers and farm-workers. The baton for carrying out a broader multiple-issue platform of the struggle for the defence and pursuit of the democratic rights and needs of all sections of society must be handed over to the opposition parties. This responsibility these parties have so far comprehensively failed to fulfill. Frankly, it is doubtful if they have the capacity or even the moral-political inclination to do so. Where a broader unity with farmers can be forgedindeed one potentially powerful enough to force the Modi government to fully concedewould be unity with the organised working class, itself greatly angered by the latest labour laws. These aim to ease hiring-firing, make unionisation and legal strikes extremely difficult, promote casualisation, and do much else in favour of employers. That sections within the farmer bodies have now called not just for wider pan-Indian farmer unity but for Kisan-Mazdoor Ekta is an advance. But how to practically operationalise this to seriously erode the Centres intransigence not to ever fully repeal the laws? Earlier hopes that at the very least the BJP-led coalition government of Haryana would fall because the JJP would withdraw support, have been belied. If despite such a prolonged resistance this has not happened so far, there is little reason to think it will happen further down the line even as the occupations carry on. A serious overall defeat for the BJP in the five Assembly elections where polling is starting or soon to start would certainly boost the morale of the farmers and more generally that of other opponents of the Modi government. But this is unlikely. The final overall result is likely to be more mixed with gains for the BJP in some places to perhaps more than compensate for weaker performances elsewhere. The key is not just continuing the occupation or having periodic demonstrations and marches or solidarity events but mass strike action! This hits directly at the authority of the government and hurts their big business backers the most, namely in their pockets. The central trade union federations, barring of course the BJP-controlled BMS, have extended support to the farmers struggle and carried out solidarity actions. But precisely because these federations are controlled by their respective political party masters, basic worker unity usually gets more fragmented than promoted. Lessons for Others Indeed, how the 40-plus farm unions and other bodies have worked together is an object lesson for the trade union federations. The new labour laws represent a death warrant for them, so that alone should be sufficient spur to such action. Here, ritual all-India one-day strikes, though helpful, are not the answer. What is needed are large-scale rolling strikes every few days across different industrial sectors and states. This way the economic burden on strikers is lessened since these actions are not continuous but spread out over time and among different sections, and occur in different places and regions. There is an opportunity today to forge with farmers the kind of unity in struggle that can inflict the most powerful blow yet to the Modi neoliberal project. One can only hope that it is taken. Even if this opportunity is lost and the outcome is some compromise but not a total repeal of the laws, politically, things will not be the same. There will have been a more lasting breach in the popularity of the Modi regime. For that alone, this farmers struggle deserves our deep admiration. Achin Vanaik is an author and social activist, a former professor at the University of Delhi, and a Fellow in Delhi at the Transnational Institute, Amsterdam. His latest book is Nationalist Dangers, Secular Failings (Aakar Publishers). By Ritah Kemigisa The king of Tooro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru 4 is not holding any public activities to celebrate his 29th birthday. The kingdoms information minister Charles Mwanguhya says this is in order to conform to the standard operating procedures and curb the spread of covid19 and related new variants. He however says the king has advised the people of Uganda not to take the easing of covid-19 measures for granted but rather take personal initiative to protect themselves and follow all covid-19 guidelines put in place by the government. The King has also rallied the youth in Uganda and the world to guard against contracting HIV/Aids, and work hard to ensure the development of the country. The 29-year-old King ascended the throne at the age of three in 1995. Mwanguhya meanwhile says they are monitoring the covid19 situation to decide on how best to celebrate the 26th coronation anniversary of the king due in September. As the influx of migrants continues at the U.S.-Mexico border, Texas Governor Greg Abbott wrote a letter to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, asking to designate Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in the country. The Texas governor noted that migrants, including unaccompanied children, had fallen victim to these Mexican drug cartels, resulting in violence, coercion, and human trafficking instances. Mexican Drug Cartels as 'Foreign Terrorist' According to KXAN, Greg Abbott, in his letter, urged Biden and Harris to immediately take action in combatting the dangerous and deadly Mexican drug cartels. Abbott emphasized the terror that the cartels brought to the U.S. communities. The Texas governor mentioned that drug cartels smuggle narcotics and weapons in the U.S. in order to fund their illegal enterprises. Abbott also pointed out that they force women and children into human and sex trafficking, "enriching themselves on the misery and enslavement of immigrants." "They murder innocent people, including women and children. These Mexican drug cartels are foreign terrorist organizations, and it is time for the federal government to designate them as such," the Texas governor noted. Abbott also included background on the activity of the Mexican drug cartels in the letter. He noted that drug cartels' activity meets the three criteria for terrorist organization designation listed under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. According to Abbott, Mexican drug cartels are foreign organizations that regularly engage in terrorist activities, including threatening the security of U.S. nationals or the country's national security. The Texas governor noted that designating these drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations would give the Biden administration new ways of fighting back. "Providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization is a federal crime of extraterritorial jurisdiction, punishable in some cases by life imprisonment," Abbott noted. The Texas governor added that criminal sentences for drug traffickers who fund foreign terrorist organizations are significantly longer. Abbott's latest letter is the fourth letter sent by the Texas governor to the Biden administration, asking them to address the problems at the southern border. READ NEXT: Mexican President Says Mexico's Future is Coal Not Renewable Energy 'Operation Lone Star' in Texas Abbott also mentioned the launching of Operation Lone Star in the state. It is an operation focusing on battling against illegal activity at the border. So far, the operation led to the arrest of some 800 individuals and the seizure of more than 3,800 pounds of marijuana. Greg Abbott noted that the trafficking operations bring dangerous contraband into the communities. He said these illegal activities also fund the Mexican drug cartels, enabling them to continue to terrorize innocent lives. The Texas governor further noted that these Mexican drug cartels fueled the ongoing crisis at the border by exploiting the border policies of the U.S. He said these drug cartels also had increased their power and wealth at the expense of innocent lives that get in their way. Abbott emphasized that the sooner the government designates these Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, the sooner U.S. can secure not only the border but also the lives of its people, Spectrum News reported. READ MORE: Group of Migrants Hide Under Trailer Board to Cross U.S Border, Intercepted by Border Patrol WATCH: Texas Gov. Urges President, VP to Designate Mexican Drug Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations - From Eagle News A. Have you ever heard of Shun Gon, a Chinese Siamese cat? Shun Gon plays the drums and the piano using chopsticks and he appears in the Disney movie "The Aristocats"! OK, OK! I know Shun Gon isn't real, but if he was I would really like to meet him! Q. Do you have an interesting fact to share? A. I do! As is clear from my picture, my eyes are a little crossed! Well, there is a reason for that. According to one legend, a group of Siamese cats was tasked with guarding a golden, royal goblet. While performing their duties, the cats stared at the goblet with such intensity that their eyes crossed. For the most part, breeders have bred this trait out of us, but every once in a while one of us pops up and I'm it! I'm the real deal! Q. Do you have any advice for our Citizen readers? Ghanaian entrepreneur and CEO of the EMY Award, Kojo Soboh has revealed that he was attacked and robbed by some armed robbers at gunpoint. He made this revelation whilst giving his speech after he was officially unveiled as the cover face for the latest Event Guide magazine Accra, captured by Nkonkonsa.com. Kojo Soboh disclosed the armed robbers disabled the alarm system at his home and robbed him and his brother carting away with some valuable items and this harrowing incident happened exactly a month ago. According to the former member of defunct music group, Rana it was the worst experience he ever had in his life as he thought that was going to be his final moments on earth as he recounted how the robbers threatened to shoot them at the slighted provocation. He, however, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to God for sparing his life taking him out of that dangerous moment and disclosed that the incident taught him a lesson to live life and do what he can do today as tomorrow is not promised. Watch the video below: Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/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 By Niu Xinchun US President Biden announced recently that all American troops in Afghanistan would be pulled back before September 11 this year, ending the 20-year war, the longest in American history. The withdrawal is symbolic as there are only 5,000 American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, far from enough to affect the global strategic landscape. The Afghan and Iraqi people will be most seriously impacted by the troop withdrawal as the two countries may be exposed to greater instability and turmoil for some time to come. Washington pulling its troops back before the post-war reconstruction is completed will destroy the fragile political balance in the region and aggravate regional turmoil in the short term, throwing the local people into greater misery. Although the troop withdrawal is more symbolic and substantive, it reflects Americas intention of strategic contraction in the Middle East, which will greatly impact the political situation in the region. Since the end of the Cold War, the US has been the center and pillar of the Middle Easts security order, and the security of regional countries depends largely on their relations with the US. In recent years, however, the US has kept releasing signals of strategic congtraction, with the upcoming comprehensive withdrawal being a culmination should it really come through, prompting regional countries to scramble for the vacuum of power left by Washington. For Americas companions, since the Americans are no longer reliable, they must either find a new patron or rely on themselves; for Americas rivals, since the US is about to leave, it will soon be their turn to strut their stuff. As a result, countries in the region will no longer be limited to the pro-US or anti-US option but can diversify their diplomatic relations to strike a new balance among the US, Europe, Russia, and China. The Middle East has never seen so many neck-and-neck protagonists on its political stage, nor has it ever seen so complicated a combination of power. The deep involvement of Israel, Iran, and Turkey in Arabian politics will lend a grave shock to the old landscape thats already toppling. Still, a new landscape has not unfolded yet the transition period is usually the most tumultuous. Americas withdrawal of troops and strategic contractionwill affect the Middle East situation, but only to a limited extent. It will leave a strategic vacuum, but there will be no fierce struggle since major countries in the world have no intention of dominating the region. The US remains the most influential power there, but with much weaker confidence, will, and resolve to interfere. It is no longer the sole hegemon that designs, steers, and maintains the regional situation but is receding to be first of the pack. Americas strategic contraction gives Russia the chance to return to the Middle East. Since 2015, Moscow, with Syria as the pivot, has maneuvered its relations with such Middle East countries as Iran, Syria, Turkey, Israel, and Iraq and come back to the center of the regional strategic map. But the region has neither seen a so-called US-Russia strategic rivalry nor the alleged a new Cold War between China and the US. The US is contracting its claws, Russia is biding its time, Europe is having its own plate full, and China is cautious the once much-contended Middle East has become unattractiveto major countries for the first time. The US floated the idea of shifting its strategic focus to the Asia Pacific in Obamas term, and the Middle East has not been the center of its global strategy ever since. The China-US struggle is a strategic game between major countries while pulling troops from Afghanistan is just a tactical move they cannot be mentioned in the same breath, and the US doesnt count on the 2,500 troops from Afghanistan to deter China. Many people in the US are rooting for the quick troop withdrawal as part of the efforts to concentrate all energy on confronting China, but thats just face-saving rhetoric to gloss over their crestfallen retreat from the Middle East. Editors note: The author is director of the Institute of Middle East Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. And this article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. DANBURY - Comedian John Oliver was mistaken if he thought all he was getting was a run-of-the-mill sewer plant when he agreed in October to lend his name to the facility for a laugh and a donation to local charities. The city has broken ground on the nations first grease-to-diesel conversion facility at the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant a project that promises not only a remedy for the plague of sewer grease that has terrorized Olivers native England with airliner-size fatbergs, but a revenue source for Danbury in the form of biodiesel sales. Were so damn excited about this, said Antonio Iadarola, the city engineer and its director of public works. Its one of the most fascinating projects I have ever worked on or will ever work on in my life. Iadarola is referring to the citys partnership with a research professor from University of Connecticut to harvest sewer grease from the waste stream and produce hundreds of thousands of gallons of biodiesel and heating fuel enough to run Danburys truck fleet for a year, and have 90,000 gallons left over to sell. H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Construction of the $5.5 million grease-to-diesel conversion facility is part of a larger $100 million wastewater treatment plant upgrade that began last year. In July, the city expects to receive a prefabricated 5,000-square-foot building that will house the technology to convert one of lifes most disgusting waste products into liquid gold. In doing so, Danburyis poised to become the first city in the nation to produce its own fuel from the frying pan fat that gets dumped down the drain. Danburys partners are REA Resource Recovery Systems and Richard Parnas, professor emeritus in UConns Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, whose patented reactor mixes refined brown grease with methanol to produce the biodiesel. 3 1 of 3 H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media / Show More Show Less 2 of 3 / Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Production could begin late this year. Its the biggest news to hit this eight-acre sewer plant on Newtown Road since October, when the trash-talking host of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ended months of profane fun with then-Mayor Mark Boughton and visited Danbury to mark the renaming of the wastewater treatment facility. At the time, Boughton said renaming the sewer plant after Oliver was the perfect fit Because its full of [expletive], just like you, John. Oliver not only agreed but insisted on making $55,000 in donations to the Connecticut Food Bank, ALS Connecticut and a Donors Choose fund for Danbury teachers. Meanwhile, the city will try to leverage its high-profile treatment plant to compete for federal money. The citys grease-to-fuel partners will submit a research paper to vie for a federal grant that would pay for photovoltaic technology strong enough to run the biodiesel plant on solar energy. Earlier this month, the City Council backed the application to the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. If the city is successful, the grant could lead to a larger award for a solar power system capable of meeting the electrical needs of the entire John Oliver Sewer Plant. It would take our treatment plant completely off the grid, Iadarola said. Its exciting because were talking about green energy and figuring out how to deal with the deficiency in generating energy that we know is coming, its just a matter of when. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 Even as several migrant workers have left Gujarat's Surat city due to the COVID-19 surge and anticipation of a lockdown, people associated with the claimed the current scenario has had no impact on the trade so far. According to the Surat Diamond Association, at least 5 lakh workers are employed by 3,000 small and large diamond cutting and polishing units in Surat city. Majority of workers have migrated here from Saurashtra and north Gujarat, while only 10 per cent are from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, said Nanu Vekaria, president, Surat Diamond Association. Of these 5 lakh workers, hardly five per cent had recently left for their hometowns in and outside Gujarat, he said. "While some went back to attend weddings and other social gatherings, others left out of fear. Some even left for their hometowns to care for their ailing parents and relatives," Vekaria said. "Majority of the diamond polishing units are operational at present. A marginal number of workers have left, but they will return once the situation improves. So far, the remains largely unaffected because of coronavirus," he said. The total turnover of Surat's is Rs 1,45,000 crore, said Dinesh Navadiya, regional chairman of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). Navadiya too concurred that the industry remains unaffected, as very few workers have left the city despite a sharp rise in the cases in the recent days. "Those who are leaving will return as soon as the situation becomes normal. However, the number is less. Almost all units are working at present. So far, there seems to be no major impact on the diamond trade due to coronavirus," he said. on Thursday recorded the highest single-day spike of 8,152 COVID-19 cases and 81 casualties that took the tally of infections to 3,75,768 and toll to 5,076. (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.) Organizations increasingly demand IT products that are more sustainable. The challenge for most purchasers is to verify that sustainability claims made by the IT brands for their products actually are correct. With TCO Certified, independent verification is not optional, it is always included. Compliance with all criteria is independently verified throughout the life of the certificate ensuring that consumers and professional purchasers are given accurate, comparable information. "Annually more than 20,000 hours are spent verifying products as well as the factories where they're made according to the criteria in TCO Certified. We know that a mere self-declaration is not enough to drive change product testing at independent test laboratories and factory inspections by independent auditors are critical," says Soren Enholm, CEO of TCO Development, the organization behind TCO Certified. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the first brand whose servers meet the tough criteria in TCO Certified for data center products. "We expect more brands to follow. The interest in our data center product categories is high, both from the industry looking to apply for TCO Certified for their products, and from the purchasing community asking for products with independently verified sustainability claims," continues Soren Enholm. "In our Product Finder, you can search for certified products and have access to data backing the sustainability of those products. Our new Product Watcher functions also make it easy for buyers to track sustainability measures and product categories of interest," says Soren Enholm. Toward sustainable IT products With over 25 years of experience, TCO Certified is the world-leading sustainability certification for IT products. Our comprehensive criteria are designed to drive social and environmental responsibility throughout the product life cycle. Covering 11 product categories including displays, computers and mobile devices, compliance is independently verified, both pre- and post-certification. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1484451/TCO_Development.jpg Contact: Cassandra Julin +46(0)702866861 [email protected] Press Room SOURCE TCO Development Related Links https://tcocertified.com They always turn heads with their eye-popping ensembles. And twins Jess and Eve Gale flaunted their enviable physiques again on Thursday, when they posed up a storm in their London flat wearing chic nude lingerie. The former Love Island stars, 21, took to Instagram to share snaps of themselves crouched on the floor in matching white and brown underwear. Wow: Twins Jess and Eve Gale, 21, flaunted their enviable physiques on Thursday, when they posed up a storm in their London flat wearing chic nude lingerie for their Instagram fans Jess slipped into a white ensemble, while Eve opted for a mocha bra and briefs. With their long blonde hair cascading around their shoulders, the siblings wore a full face of make-up as they pouted for the camera. Showcasing their sun-kissed skin and ample assets, Jess and Eve each shared a photo of their at-home shoot on their social media pages. Last month, Eve told fans that she was pining for sunnier climes as she shared a throwback swimsuit snap, before slipping into tiny hotpants. Twinning: Jess slipped into a white ensemble, while Eve opted for a mocha-coloured bra and briefs The blonde beauty flaunted her ample cleavage and underboob in a skimpy orange swimsuit. She captioned the snap: 'Oh to be this tanned again #June2020. Jess and Eve recently returned to the UK following their 'work' trip to the UAE. The TV stars were just two of many celebrities who jetted to Dubai throughout the pandemic, joining many other Love Islanders including Joanna Chimonides, Hayley Hughes and Francesca Allen. After Dubai joined UK's travel ban list, celebrities then began flocking to Mexico's bars and beaches as it established itself as the next COVID getaway destination. Travel: Jess and Eve recently returned to the UK following their 'work' trip to the United Arab Emirates The country appeared to be the new destination of choice for global jet-setters and could rocket in popularity at the time. Travel abroad is now banned from the UK without a legally permitted reason, Home Secretary Priti Patel announced. The politician criticised influencers for 'showing off in sunny parts of the world'. Many stars insisted their trips are for 'work purposes', with several influencers forced to hit back at fans after they were criticised for jetting off on holiday during the global pandemic. Jess and Eve rose to fame on the first ever series of winter Love Island back in 2020. While Eve was booted off after less than a week, Jess made it to the final with Ched Uzor - with the pair going their separate ways shortly afterwards. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called for an impartial and non-partisan dialogue for the country to reach a consensus on a sustainable method of mining minerals. President Akufo-Addo said there were things that could be discussed on partisan lines, but issues bordering on small-scale mining and the requirement to do away with illegalities in that sector should be beyond partisan politics. We cannot have one part of the political divide campaigning for galamsey in the bush and the other waging an official fight against galamsey in the open. He therefore urged the forum to insist that illegal small-scale mining and matters relating to it should be one of such issues requiring national effort. Consultative dialogue President Akufo-Addo made the call when he opened a two-day national consultative dialogue on small-scale mining to develop a blueprint to deal with galamsey and how to fashion best ways for small-scale mining in Accra. The conference, which is on the theme: Sustainable small-scale mining for national development, is being attended by all ministers of Lands and Natural Resources in the Fourth Republic, all political parties, parliamentary select committees, mining industry players, faith-based organisations and civil society organisations. The first roundtable discussion, which will look at the topic: Experience, challenges, successes and future outlook for the small-scale mining sector, is to be chaired by a Lands and Natural Resources Minister in the erstwhile Mahama administration, Mr Inusah Fuseini. Candid The President called for a frank national dialogue to fashion concrete policies to deal decisively with the menace of illegal mining and its attendant repercussions on the environment, lives and livelihoods. He said the policies which should be arrived at on consensus would lead to the promotion of responsible, viable and environmentally sustainable small-scale mining that discarded the use of mercury, shanfan and excavators and the involvement of foreigners. The President said it was crucial that deliberations at the consultative dialogue be candid and devoid of partisanship or narrow parochial interests. He expressed the hope that in the end, they would be able to build a broad-based national consensus to stamp out the menace of illegal small-scale mining and see the need to support and grow responsible small-scale mining. President Akufo-Addo at an exhibition at the National Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining. On his left is Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. Picture: SAMUEL TEI ADANO Support President Akufo-Addo noted that the vision of what small-scale mining should be must have the support of the entire nation and urged the gathering to be bold and forthright in its deliberations. No subject or person should be above critique. Politicians, traditional authorities, policy makers, the media, so-called influential people should all not be beyond your scrutiny, he stressed. Touching on the menace, President Akufo-Addo noted that there was nothing wrong with mining, a sector that provided resources for national development and benefited families, adding, however, that it had become problematic and dangerous. That, he said, was because the methods employed posed a danger to the land, water bodies and the very lives of the people. Mining becomes a danger to society when, after extracting the gold, diamond or other stones and minerals, the land is left degraded and poisoned with toxic materials, water bodies are turned into entities that can no longer support life and plants and fish cannot survive in our rivers, he explained. He bemoaned the fact that Ghanas beautiful and majestic rivers and streams, as well as thick forests, could not be celebrated again due to unacceptable mining and logging practices that had laid them to waste. Responsibility, progress The President said the government was accountable for the stewardship of all other aspects of national life, including mining, and stressed his determination to enforce the laws on illegal mining, no matter who were involved, but would not base his actions on hearsay or mere allegations. President Akufo-Addo, who waged a war against illegal mining in his first term after the media had highlighted its dire impact on the environment and water bodies, said the government wanted to build on the modest progress made in his first term, learn from the shortcomings and receive productive inputs from the forum for purposes of enhancing the regulation of the sector. He expressed the hope that the maiden dialogue would build a national consensus around a national policy on small-scale mining that promoted a responsible, viable, environmentally sustainable small-scale mining industry. Questions The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, said the forum was expected to provide answers to questions of how to effectively regulate the industry and how to deal with the financiers of illegal small-scale miners who put young men into mining pits, while they received the proceeds of such dangerous and criminal enterprises in the comfort of their homes. The minister said it would also look at ways to fashion alternative livelihoods for those who would inevitably fall out of the cracks, what could be learnt from international best standards and what kind of biting enforcement regime was required. Mr Jinapor said the dialogue would also come up with a blueprint on how to name, shame and punish politicians, chiefs, religious leaders, the elite and rich people who influenced and promoted criminal cartels in the industry. Source: Daily Graphic 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 Scores of soldiers on Thursday assaulted members of the Coalition of La Youth Associations over the Kpletso lands when the group entered a piece of land they claimed had been released to them by the government. These lands are behind Tsa Addo towards Airport Hills and close to the New Military Cemetery in Accra. The Coalition members, holding placards, proceeded to the land after a press conference to announce the repossession of their land from the military. There was heavy military presence and few policemen on the land when the media and the Coalition arrived. The military began brutalizing the Collation members after a misunderstanding ensued between them, driving them from the land; as Journalists around were also molested. Some of the members of the coalition sustained various degrees of injuries. Mr Jeffrey Tetteh, spokesperson for the Coalition said, It has become very necessary for us to do this exercise today because we have realised that against all warnings, the military is still developing the land government had released to us on November 27, 2020. However, he said the military had vowed to resist them and ensured that they did not get access to the land and that all efforts to get their lands had proved futile. He said when they were preparing to go the land, the police had been deployed to prevent them from getting onto the land. We are beginning to realise a trend that some politicians are using the security personnel to intimidate us to ensure that their cronies take the land, they are suppressing us in an era of democracy; we are not intimidated by the use of the military personnel and we will resist them with the last drop of our blood, he said. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Trent Spry has been integral in implementing the companys current helium strategy as executive director and the company looks forward to him stepping up the new role to drive the world-class portfolio. The company has thanked departing MD Joanne Kendrick for her substantial contribution. ( ) ( ) has appointed Trent Spry, who is recognised as one of the few highly skilled helium explorationists in the world, as managing director and CEO, effective from April 14, 2021. Spry, who has been an executive director of Blue Star since April 2019, is a qualified geoscientist with more than 25 years of practical experience in the oil, gas and helium resources industries covering exploration, appraisal, operations and new ventures. He possesses considerable business development and corporate experience, undertaking capital raisings and strategy formulation and implementation, including divestments and acquisitions. This includes taking numerous projects from concept or acquisition through to discovery, appraisal, and successful development or divestment, across the US onshore and Gulf of Mexico, Australia and South-East Asia. Driving world-class helium portfolio Blue Star executive chairman Ross Warner said: We are pleased to appoint a resource professional with the specific experience and expertise of Trent to the role of managing director and CEO. To have already had such a leading candidate working within our business is an excellent position from which to make such an appointment. We look forward to him driving our world-class helium portfolio through exploration towards targeted development and cash flow. Substantial contribution This appointment follows the departure of Blue Stars previous managing director Joanne Kendrick, from the Blue Star business. Kendrick leaves the company having overseen the acquisition of its extensive existing helium acreage and delineation of resources across the Las Animas portfolio. Warner said: I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Joanne, on behalf of all shareholders, for her hard work and substantial contribution over this transformational period for Blue Star. Sprys experience Spry is a highly skilled helium explorationist who was invited to be a founding member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) EMD Critical Minerals Sub-Committee on Helium. He has been integral in implementing the companys current helium strategy, which includes a comprehensive screening of the United States before recommending Las Animas County as the focus area. His management of Blue Stars subsequent ground-up prospect generation and leasing strategy has resulted in the definition of a current total net P50 prospective helium resource of 9.6 billion cubic feet across five assessed prospects in the Las Animas portfolio. This has demonstrated the world-class nature of Blue Stars tenure and repositioned the business as a leading proponent in the helium development space. Spry will continue to work closely with Blue Stars US-based team of consulting personnel, which includes a team of Denver-based landmen, permitting and environmental specialists, operations and drilling engineer, and leading Colorado resource law firm Welborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley. New non-executive director Blue Star has also appointed Neil Rinaldi, an executive leader and finance professional with more than 20 years of experience, as a non-executive director. He has considerable expertise in capital raising, asset acquisition and disposals, company structuring and positioning companies for growth. Rinaldi is the chief executive officer of International Graphite, an unlisted downstream graphite processing business with pending operations in Collie, Western Australia. Before this, he was a non-executive director of Brainchip Holdings Limited ( ), an artificial intelligence business, and an executive director of ( ), a multi-commodity exploration business with assets in Madagascar and Louisiana. He was also previously the managing director of Truestone , a London-based corporate advisory firm focused on delivering results for companies in the Australian resources sector. Highly relevant expertise" Warner said: I would like to warmly welcome Neil to the Blue Star team. We are pleased to have attracted a non-executive director of Neils considerable and highly relevant expertise. His experience complements the existing board skills matrix nicely and we look forward to his valuable contributions going forward. The company expects to submit its first permit application, under the COGCCs newly implemented rules, for the Enterprise prospect in the coming days. (Fixes Sukma's post in para 12) By Tom Allard and Rozanna Latiff JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -Southeast Asian countries are considering a proposal to send a humanitarian aid mission to Myanmar as a potential first step in a long-term plan to broker a dialogue between the junta and its opponents, diplomats familiar with the discussions said. The proposal is being considered ahead of a planned meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders this month. Diplomats said it might be attended by Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, who took power in a Feb. 1 coup that has plunged his country into turmoil. The ASEAN summit has yet to be confirmed, although Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on his Facebook account on Friday that it would take place on April 24 and he would fly to Indonesia's capital for the event. Myanmar's junta did not respond to a request for comment. A national unity government in Myanmar, announced on Friday by members of the civilian administration ousted by the junta, said it should handle any aid from ASEAN and Min Aung Hlaing should not be allowed to take part in the summit. Some regional foreign ministers and officials have held talks with Myanmar's ousted lawmakers, who call themselves the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), but they have not been invited to the meeting. Myanmar has been in violent disarray since the junta overthrew the government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi. People have been taking to the streets day after day to demand the restoration of democracy, defying crackdowns by the security forces in which more than 700 people have been killed, according to a monitoring group. ASEAN countries - worried by the bloodshed in a country that faces economic collapse, mass civil disobedience and the resurgence of conflict between the military and ethnic groups - have stepped up diplomatic efforts since the coup. Myanmar is a member of the 10-member ASEAN and the bloc's mediation could be key to resolving the crisis. Story continues Proposals being considered for the summit included a humanitarian aid mission that could be a prelude to talks between the Myanmar military and the ousted civilian government, two regional diplomats and a source close to the Malaysian government said. However, there is little likelihood of any dialogue soon between the two sides. The military government has accused the CRPH of treason, which is punishable by death, while the ousted lawmakers have called the junta leader a "murderer in chief". 'SPACE FOR DIALOGUE' The ASEAN proposal would start with a pause in hostilities and be followed by the delivery of aid, said Rizal Sukma, a senior research fellow at the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, who is among a team helping to generate policy ideas ahead of the summit. This might eventually create a "space for dialogue" between the junta and its opponents, he said. "For this third element, it really requires the Tatmadaw to release political prisoners," said Sukma, referring to the military by its Burmese name. Four members of ASEAN - Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines - have called for the release of Suu Kyi, who has been in detention since the coup, but the group itself has refrained from that step. Two diplomats said the idea of appointing a special envoy was also being considered, with either the ASEAN secretary-general or a senior retired diplomat or military figure taking the job. The envoy would negotiate with the military regime and members of the ousted government, diplomats and analysts said. The diplomats said Min Aung Hlaing has been sounded out about attending the summit and could go to Jakarta, although they stressed nothing had been finalised. A spokesman for the CRPH said on Friday "it would be a huge insult to the brave people of Myanmar to invite the murderer in chief". "ASEAN should immediately engage with national unity government to end the violence and restore democracy in Myanmar," said Dr. Sasa, who goes by only one name. Aid should not be channelled through the military because it would be stolen, he said. Sukma, a former Indonesian diplomat, said it was important for Min Aung Hlaing to attend the summit. "If the main objective of the ASEAN meeting is to stop the killing by the Tatmadaw, then that message is best delivered directly to MAH," he said, using the junta leader's initials. "Also, if the summit wants to propose a humanitarian pause, then it must be delivered to the Tatmadaw." (Reporting by Tom Allard in Jakarta, Rozanna Latiff in Kuala Lumpur, Poppy McPherson and Panu Wongcha-un in Bangkok; Editing by Matthew Tostevin and Raju Gopalakrishnan) Local authorities in Idaho believe they have found the body of an eight-year-old child who disappeared Monday from the same rural area as her two older siblings. They arrested a woman in connection to the girl's death after the girl's body was found at the woman's home. Gem County Sheriff Donnie Wunder said during a Thursday press conference that the found remains still need to be identified but investigators believe them to be those of Taryn Summers Quinton. 'A suspect was arrested in Ada County,' Wunder added, not providing further details as to the suspect's identity. An Ada County Jail roster shows that 54-year-old Connie Smith, from Emmett, was booked Thursday and charged with first-degree murder, East Idaho News reports. Taryn's body was found at a home at 1666 Airport Rd owned by Smith, according to KTVB. Gem County Sheriff Donnie Wunder shared that found remains still need to be identified but investigators believe them to be those of Taryn Summers Quinton. Taryn went missing on April 12 An Ada County Jail roster shows that 54-year-old Connie Smith, from Emmett, was booked Thursday and charged with first-degree murder. Local authorities said that a suspect was arrested but did not provide an identity Taryn's siblings - 14-year-old Taylor Summers Quinton and 16-year-old Tristan Conner Sexton - are believed to be safe even though they were reported missing last fall, Wunder said. 'Law enforcement has been in contact with Taylor and does not believe her to be in danger at this time. Family has been in contact with Tristan Sexton and law enforcement does not believe him to be in danger at this time,' Wunder added. The older two children were reported as runaways last fall, and the sheriff's office says it is believed that the youngest child, Taryn, also may have run away when she disappeared on Monday, but she is listed as a missing child because of her age. Tristan Sexton, 17 (left), and Taylor Summers, 14 (right), ran away from home in Emmett, Idaho, within a month of one another in the fall of 2020. Both are believed to be fine, according to local authorities BREAKING NEWS: Gem County Sheriff's Office is holding a press conference regarding 3 missing children last seen in Emmett. https://t.co/eY94lhGnlv Idaho News 6 (@IdahoNews6) April 16, 2021 'Extensive search of the area has been conducted to assure that the child is not nearby or injured,' stated a press release from the agency. Officials said Tristan and Taylor continue to be identified as runaways and have had frequent contact with family members. 'They are not considered to be in danger at this time,' said the sheriff's office. Tristan was last seen on September 10, 2020, and Taylor was last seen October 19. Taryn Summers was last seen on Monday, according to a Facebook post by the sheriff's office. All three children were last sighted near Airport Road and Highway 52 in Emmett. The sheriff's office said Taylor and Taryn, who share a last name, are related, but they did not say if they are siblings or more distant relatives. This map shows the area near Airport Road and Highway 52 in Emmett where all three children had gone missing between September 2020 and April 12, 2021 Tristan and Taylor have been listed as runaways and have had frequent contact with family members The agency did not immediately respond to a phone message left Wednesday by DailyMail.com. Tristan may wear glasses. He is 5 foot 7 and 185lbs. He has red hair and blue eyes. Taylor is 5 foot 3 and 135lbs. She has brown hair and hazel eyes. Both Tristan and Taylor have been reported as runaways and may be found together. Taryn is 4 feet tall and 65lbs, with a slight frame, strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. She wears glasses for reading but may not have her glasses. The girl may be with the two older children. The sheriff's office said the case is under investigation, and asked people with information to call at 208-365-3521. The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results The Galleons Passage docked at Port Kingstown where it offloaded a varied quantity of emergency supplies. The Trinidad and Tobago Ro-Ro/Passenger Ship Galleons Passage arrived in Kingstown on Tuesday with emergency supplies for the volcano-stricken St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The supplies, donated by various organisations throughout Trinidad and Tobago as well as private citizens, included food items, water, sanitary supplies, tents, three water trucks filled with water, medical supplies and a quantity of personal protective equipment. Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves was present to greet the members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force who had accompanied the shipment of supplies. He expressed thanks to the government. He said, "I have a message to my Brother Keith Rowley, to tell him thanks. I have been in touch with Stuart Young quite a lot.. I would like to thank them very much for coming to our help. He highlighted that Dr Rowley, who is a geologist, was a member of the scientific monitoring team on the ground in St Vincent during the 1979 eruption. The Galleons Passage was scheduled to leave Port Kingstown on Wednesday. Fifty soldiers from T&T are expected to stay in St Vincent for two weeks. Trinidad nationals resident in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and who were desirous of being relocated to their native land, were given the opportunity to do so via the ships return voyage. SPRINGFIELD The state has dealt another blow to a proposed biomass project in East Springfield, announcing revised regulations banning such projects from qualifying for renewable energy incentives if they are located in or within five miles of an environmental justice community. Subsidies had been available for biomass projects under the states Renewable Portfolio Standard prior to the changes announced Friday. The revisions are subject to a 30-day comment period. Opponents have argued for years that the biomass plant would worsen pollution and harm public health, and urged the state to not provide financial incentives. The site of the biomass project in East Springfield is within a designated environmental justice community. The new regulations will also bar new biomass projects that do not meet an overall 60% efficiency requirement regardless of the type of biomass they are using, said Kathleen Theoharides, secretary of the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, in announcing the changes on behalf of the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker. The Springfield project proposed by Palmer Renewable Energy does not meet that threshold, according to the state. The state Department of Energy Resources received overwhelming feedback from stakeholders, especially from residents in environmental justice communities, Theoharides said. They spoke clearly and the administration heard their concerns about the negative impact these regulations could have for environmental communities if this regulatory framework was not addressed, she added. Palmer Renewable Energy has been seeking to build a a $150 million, 35-megawatt biomass facility on Page Boulevard for more than a decade, drawing significant opposition and legal challenges. The plant would burn wood to create electricity. Palmer Renewable Energy no comment Friday. The state Department of Environmental Protection announced two weeks ago that it was revoking a permit for the project due to delays in construction and environmental justice concerns. That decision is under appeal. Environmental justice communities are those identified by the state as having lower income and larger minority populations deemed at greater risk of health challenges including asthma. Theoharides was joined by Patrick Woodcock, commissioner of DOER, in announcing the revised regulations. State Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, said that the announced change in regulations and the previous permit revocation is an encouraging step forward for environmental justice, equity, and public health. In partnership with the community. After nine years of collective anxiety, activism, and determination, residents of the Greater Springfield area can finally take a deep breath in their own backyards, Lesser said in a prepared release. These updated regulations announced by the Department of Energy Resources make it crystal clear that the Palmer plant will not operate within blocks of a school in the asthma capital of the United States. At-Large City Councilor Jesse Lederman, among the long-term biomass opponents, praised what he saw as being a reversal on the issue by the Baker administration. The reversal is the direct result of grassroots action by residents, activists, and local elected officials both here in Springfield and across the state, and acknowledges what the science told us: biomass incineration is not renewable energy, Lederman said in a prepared release. The days of polluters being rubber stamped and financed by our own tax dollars in communities like ours are over, Lederman said. Thats been our big battle since December, said Laura Haight, a biomass opponent and U.S. Policy Director for the Partnership for Policy Integrity Thats when the Baker administration first proposed making biomass eligible for these credits. We wanted to know why are you doing this when it is only going to benefit one project, the one in Springfield. Opponents were concerned that the Springfield biomass project could become eligible for $13 million to $15 million a year in green energy incentives, Haight said. The Springfield Climate Justice Coalition said it is gratified that the Baker Administration listened to the public opposition to the plant and noted that Springfield was named the asthma capital of the country. Were thrilled to see these protections for environmental justice communities included in DOERs new RPS regulations; for far too long Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities have been disproportionately targeted as sites for toxic and polluting facilities, the group said in a statement. But the coalition lamented that it has taken 12 years to win the fight. And it is said the states latest proposal helps keep existing biomass plants. We are concerned that DOERs proposal includes loopholes that would allow existing polluting biomass power plants throughout the Northeast to qualify for rate-payer funded renewable energy credits in Massachusetts. Staff writer Jim Kinney contributed to this report. Related content: [April 15, 2021] IBC Ships First Pilot Module for the Green, Direct Extraction of Lithium from Brine at Salar de Maricunga in Chile using SuperLig Molecular Recognition Technology -- The Lithium Investigation Center, promoted by the Chilean Grupo Errazuriz, passes key environmental procedures and has begun the construction phase -- AMERICAN FORK, Utah, April 15, 2021 /CNW/ -- The module will be a key component of the SuperLig Molecular Recognition Technology ("MRT") pilot plant (the "Pilot Plant") being built by IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc. ("IBC") to demonstrate the green, direct extraction of lithium ("Li") from brine at the Maricunga salt flat, or salar, in Chile. On February 18, 2021, the Environmental Assessment System in Chile ruled favorably with respect to a Pertinence Consultation carried out by the Chilean Grupo Errazuriz on November 24, 2020, thereby paving the way for the development and operation of the SuperLig MRT Pilot Plant in Chile. The industrial scale Lithium Production Project by SIMCO, a JV between Grupo Errazuriz (55%) and Taiwanese Simbalik Group (45%), in cooperation with Japanese company Chori, will recover Li from the Salar de Maricunga (the "Project") and will prospectively involve an investment of US $ 400 million, generate 400 jobs in the construction stage and 200 permanent jobs when the operation goes commercial. The Lithium Investigation Center construction phase has already begun and lithium recovery operations are expected to begin at the end of 2021 and produce commercial battery grade LiOH during the first quarter of 2022. The Lithium Investigation Center is an initiative in Chile owned by the SIMCO Company that is being developed in parallel with and by the approval of the Chilean Environmental Assessment Service of the Environmental Impact Study of the project "Production of Maricunga Salts." The SuperLig MRT process was chosen for the Project because of its very high selectivity for Li over other components of the brine, thereby allowing the green, direct extraction of Li from brines using no solvents, just dilute acid, water and base. The Pilot Plant will be automated and is expected to demonstrate the following advantages of the SuperLig MRT process: Exceptionally high selectivity for lithium over other ions present in the brine, including sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and oron. No pre-removal steps are required. Production of lithium without extracting or evaporating water from the salar. Reinjection of the Li-depleted brine back into the salar, minimizing any negative environmental impacts, including subsidence, and avoiding a source of potential conflict with surrounding communities problems that plague current processes that generate much waste. Operation with a zero carbon footprint at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. Recovery of 95%+ of the Li in the brine, far exceeding the 40% level of current methods that result in the remaining lithium being dumped in waste salt tailings. Direct production of lithium hydroxide, thereby adding greater value to the extracted lithium compared to commonly used processes that only produce lithium carbonate, which must later be converted. Low working capital requirements, resulting from short lithium inventory times, with the separation and recovery of the Li being achieved in days compared to multiple years for current methods that rely on the evaporation rate of the brine. Much reduced capital and operating costs for Li separation and recovery compared to those of current processes. The sustainability of the SuperLig MRT process is built on simplified infrastructure that is achieved by using modular units or skids that contain the equipment necessary to perform the Li separation. These small units make it possible to recover Li without the large number and variety of chemicals and the extensive superstructure used in current methods. The environmentally detrimental process of evaporating water from the salar is also avoided. Adjustment of the number of skids according to the need makes the MRT system flexible and adaptable to location requirements. It is expected that the SuperLig MRT Pilot Plant will have the capacity to carry out operational tests on-site on different types of brines and determine the optimal design parameters for the subsequent construction of plants on an industrial scale. In the first stage, the brine at Salar de Maricunga in Chile will be treated using the pilot plant. It is anticipated that following successful completion of this test, pilot plant tests will be carried out with brines in Bolivia, Argentina, and other salars in Chile. At the same time, it is planned to begin construction of industrial-scale plants for commercial Li production. The manager of New Businesses of the Errazuriz Group, Jose Joaquin Matte, highlighted the importance of this milestone for Chilean mining: "The Molecular Recognition Technology that we are implementing will allow us to directly extract lithium in a way that is entirely different from that used in Chile, completely reinjecting the brine into the salars, with competitive operating costs and with a minimal impact on the environment. This technology is totally disruptive: it is green and environmentally friendly, does not require evaporation ponds and extracts 95% of the lithium contained in the brines. It will revolutionize the world lithium market." Steven R. Izatt, President and CEO of IBC commented: "The green technology revolution demands that lithium and other critical metals be produced in the most environmentally responsible way possible, taking into account all stakeholders. IBC is committed to providing advanced, highly selective separations technologies that prioritize environmental and societal concerns while maximizing economic return." Background of IBC IBC is an award-winning provider of proprietary and innovative MRT products and processes, based on green chemistry and green engineering, to premier customers worldwide. IBC's SuperLig, AnaLig and MacroLig products and associated processes are used in manufacturing, analytical and laboratory applications. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ibc-ships-first-pilot-module-for-the-green-direct-extraction-of-lithium-from-brine-at-salar-de-maricunga-in-chile-using-superlig-molecular-recognition-technology-301270304.html SOURCE IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Last month, a Chicago police officer fatally shot 13-year-old Adam Toledo, according to footage released by a police oversight agency on Thursday. As the city prepares for protests, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has called for peace. An officer exits his car and chases Toledo into an alley, as seen on video. When the cop catches up with the teen, he tells him to raise his hands and shouts, "Drop it, drop it." When Toledo lifts his hands, the cop shoots a single shot to the teen's chest. A video showed the Chicago police shooting that killed Adam Toledo When the teen falls, the cop runs to assist him and calls for help, as per CBS News. A semi-automatic pistol was discovered a few feet away, said the police. On Thursday, Lightfoot said that there was "no proof" that the teen fired the weapon before being shot. BREAKING! Adam Toledo Body Cam Footage! pic.twitter.com/M7qzXTHNSp SCUBA MIKE (@scuba2024) April 15, 2021 @Twitter The March 29 event occurred at 2:30 AM when a police audio detector picked up gunshots. Police found Toledo and 21-year-old Ruben Roman less than a minute later, and he was tackled and taken into custody. Adam Toledo was not carrying the weapon when the cop opened fire, said the attorney representing the teen's family. Attorney Adeena Weiss Ortiz said Thursday, "Those clips speak for themselves. Adam didn't have a gun until the very last second of his life." Following the release of a video of Adam Toledo's deadly police shooting, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker issued a statement on Thursday, calling the footage "a parent's worst nightmare." According to the attorney defending the family of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, the boy was not holding a pistol when the cop opened fire. "Those videos speak for themselves," attorney Adeena Weiss Ortiz said at a press conference Thursday. "Adam, for the last second of his life, did not have a gun." Around an hour after Chicago authorities posted dashcam, surveillance, and body camera video of Toledo's final moments, Ortiz arranged a press conference. An officer can be seen chasing Toledo down an alley in one frame. He tells Toledo to raise his hands and yells, "Drop it," as he catches up to him. Before the officer fires a shot to the teen's chest, he turns around with his hands in the air. Teen Dies After Police Shot Him When He Fired At Officers in Knoxville, Tennessee High School Who is police officer Ruben Roman? Ruben Roman was apprehended at Adam Toledo's deadly police shooting in Chicago, The Sun reported. On April 15, 2021, a body camera video of the fatal incident was publicly disclosed. Ruben Roman was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of assaulting or obstructing a police officer at the shooting scene. This month, he was arrested on an unrelated warrant for child endangerment, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and reckless discharge of a firearm. In conjunction with the shooting of Toledo, Roman's bond was fixed at $150,000. According to court documents, he is being detained without bail due to a separate lawsuit. A bond court profiler obtained by WGN indicates that Roman and Adam Toledo were in an alley together when cops arrived on March 29. South Carolina Shooting: Police Puzzle Why Ex-NFL Pro Philip Adams Killed Dr. Robert Lesslie and Family The TV station reported that the two fled together after two policemen abandoned their car and chased them. Ruben Roman was immediately arrested and taken to the ground, where he dropped gloves that later tested positive for bullet residue, as per WGN. Until bullets ring out and the boy he's chasing lands on the fence behind him, the boy can be seen turning toward the cop and raising his hands. After seeking help and verifying that they had a shooting survivor, "Where are you shot man, where are you shot?" the officer inquired. Stay with me, stay with me, stay with me." The alarming footage shows Adam gasping for breath as the cop bends in next to him and repeats requests that an ambulance is sent. A handgun that the boy was carrying was discovered at the scene, according to police. The video showed Adam seemed to drop the gun and begin to lift his hands less than a second before he was shot. Aside From Being the Same From Minneapolis Area, Daunte Wright and George Floyd Have Lots In Common @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An unlucky-in-love radio producer has revealed why women are looking for a different type of man in 2021. While 'bad boys' have historically dominated the dating scene, 'perennially single' Jana Hocking says 'good guys' are now in as women search for safety and security in an increasingly uncertain world. The 36-year-old, who works at Sydney's Triple M station, argues it is human nature to crave the 'compassion, dedication and kindness' offered by a trustworthy and reliable partner. And as the chaos of the pandemic continues, the self-professed 'collector of kind-of-boyfriends' believes an increasing number of women will ditch traditional 'bad boys' for something entirely different. Scroll down for video While 'bad boys' have historically dominated the dating scene, single radio producer Jana Hocking (pictured) says 'good guys' are now in In a column for news.com.au, Ms Hocking said she experienced an epiphany about her dating preferences during a recent visit to the emergency room. Suffering from chronic pain that left her writhing in agony, she was treated by a doctor who dosed her with morphine - but it was his 'kindhearted' approach that left a lasting impact. 'As the nurse set me up, the doctor held my hand, offered nothing but kind words, and tried to keep me distracted from the pain,' she wrote. The 36-year-old (pictured) argues it is human nature to crave the 'compassion, dedication and kindness' offered by a trustworthy and reliable partner She said the doctor stayed by her side as she waited for the medication to kick in, an 'incredibly vulnerable moment' that left her with a 'whopping big crush'. Ms Hocking said the care she received was a massive 'turn on'. 'Seriously, is there anything sexier than a bloke coming to your rescue?' she added. What men value most in women PERSONALITY 1. Honesty 21.3 percent 2. Confidence 20 percent 3. Playfulness 18 percent 4. Kindness/Gratefulness 14 percent 5. Loyalty 12.6 percent LOOKS 1. Eyes 41.6 percent 2. Smile 29.6 percent 3. Bum 12.2 percent 4. Breasts 9.2 percent 5. Legs 7.4 percent Advertisement What women value most in men PERSONALITY 1. Humour 19.6 percent 2. Loyalty and charisma 18.3 percent 3. Honesty 17 percent 4. Intelligence 14.37 percent 5. Kindness 12.4 percent LOOKS 1. Eyes 27.3 percent 2. Smile 21 percent 3. Good teeth 18.75 percent 4. Height 18.75 percent 5. Their penis 14.1 percent Advertisement Ms Hocking (pictured) said her emergency room encounter transformed how she feels about stereotypically 'nice' men Ms Hocking said the encounter transformed how she feels about stereotypically 'nice' men. She urged others to draw on her experience to change their attitude and give 'good guys' a chance. 'Lets look out for the bloke that helps someone lift a heavy item into their car, or picks up your flying tampon next time you stack it at the supermarket and your handbag items go everywhere,' she wrote. A captivating courtroom quote for today . . . If hes an artist, then he took the bones of Kara and Jessica, and painted them across the woods and left them there to rot. Thats not life, said the prosecuting attorney. More sentencing deets: "Yust faces five to 15 years for the manslaughter charge and 15 years to life in prison for the second-degree murder charge. In Missouri, that life sentence is capped at 30 years." Another worthwhile note . . . Fox4: 'Justice was not served': Kara Koptesky's mother asks jury for max sentence in Yust trial Read more . . . Minister Daryanani Visits Clubhouse Gibraltar Minister for Business, the Hon Vijay Daryanani, visited Clubhouse Gibraltar today at the invitation of Executive Director Emily Adamberry Olivero MBE. Minister Daryanani was given a tour around the premises and Ms Adamberry Olivero gave him a rundown of the workings within Clubhouse. They discussed the possibility of local businesses helping members of Clubhouse with work placements in order to reintegrate them into the working world. Minister Daryanani said: It was so refreshing to visit Clubhouse and to meet Emily. Her passion and dedication towards Mental Health is so clear to see. I was also touched to see how people who have had mental health issues trying their best to overcome their problems and difficulties. I will look to engage with the private sector to see how the Government can assist to encourage work placements for members of Clubhouse. It is extremely important that we motivate people with mental health issues to seek employment and integrate them back into the community." CAPE BRETON, NS, April 16, 2021 /CNW/ - Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. The COVID-19 crisis has made it clear that affordable housing is key to Canada's recovery as communities across the country, including those in Nova Scotia, are dealing with the devastating impacts of rising levels of homelessness and housing need. (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Mike Kelloway, Member of Parliament for Cape BretonCanso, and Annie Daisley, Chief of the We'koqma'q First Nation, announced details of over $3.16 million in funding through the Projects Stream of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) for the immediate construction of 24 units of affordable housing for two First Nations communities in Nova Scotia. $1.02 million will go towards rapidly building 12 new homes in the Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation and over $2.14 million will ensure the creation of the same number of new homes in the We'koqma'q First Nation. Delivered by CMHC, under the National Housing Strategy (NHS), RHI provides capital contributions to develop new, permanent affordable housing by covering costs associated with modular multi-unit rental construction; conversion of non-residential to affordable multi-residential homes; and, rehabilitation of buildings in disrepair and/or abandoned to affordable multi-residential homes. Investments made under the RHI are expected to support thousands of construction-related jobs for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Quotes: "Our Government is taking steps, right now, to ensure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. Our investments will go a long way to effectively support those who need it most by quickly providing new affordable housing units to vulnerable individuals and families, while addressing the unique barriers faced by communities such as First Nations in Nova Scotia. This is the National Housing Strategy at work." The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Story continues "I'm pleased to see Waycohbah and Paqtnkek receive funding for housing projects that will have long-term benefits for their communities. Addressing the severe housing needs in Cape Breton and North Eastern Nova Scotia has been top-of-mind for me. The National Housing Strategy is a great tool that works towards ensuring more affordable housing for Indigenous peoples. This funding will provide immediate support to create safe and stable housing for First Nations in Nova Scotia while assisting those most vulnerable." Mike Kelloway, Member of Paliament for Cape BretonCanso "On the behalf of Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation, we are grateful and excited to receive the funding for 12 new module homes. I know housing is not just a problem here in Paqtnkek but across First Nation communities in Canada, this is a great step moving forward. This will be great for single people or single parents because they often get over looked on getting homes which normally go to the bigger families who are in need. So with this rapid housing Strategy it will be a great start on putting a dent in our housing problem. I would like to thank the Government of Canada and CMHC." Chief Tima Francis, Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation "I would like to thank CMHC and everybody involved for helping address the serious First Nation housing crisis that's happening not only in my community, but all over Canada. Although we realize it's not a permanent fix, we realize this housing initiative will impact so many families with a magnitude that we don't even fully realize yet. On behalf of the community of We'koqma'q, I want to say wela'lioq thank you." Chief Annie Daisley, We'koqma'q First Nation Quick facts: Under the RHI Projects Stream $500 million was available through an application-based process, which closed on December 31, 2020. Funding was available to Provinces, Territories, and Municipalities, Indigenous governing bodies and organizations, and non-profit organizations. Nationally, at 4,700 units, the RHI has exceeded its initial target of 3000 permanent affordable housing units thanks to the support of the provincial, territorial and municipal governments as well as Indigenous governing bodies. The RHI has received significant interest from Indigenous groups, which resulted in nearly 40% of all units created under the program to be targeted to Indigenous peoples. The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and others who are among the most vulnerable, including: women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people dealing with mental health and addiction issues, veterans, LGBTQ2+, racialized groups, Black Canadians, and recent immigrants or refugees. Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year $70+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call homethis includes more than $13 billion committed through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement. Associated links: As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford, and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2021/16/c1615.html Flash The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) condemned on Friday the Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip hours after unknown militants fired a rocket at southern Israel. Hazem Qassem, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in a press statement that attacking the Gaza Strip while Muslims were having their suhoor meal before fasting "is condemned." Earlier on Friday, eyewitnesses said Israeli army warplanes struck military posts and facilities that belong to Hamas armed wing al-Qassam Brigades in central and southern Gaza Strip. The eyewitnesses said huge explosions were heard following the airstrikes. The sources said no injuries were reported, but damage was caused in the targeted posts and facilities. An Israeli army spokesman said in a press statement that Israeli fighter jets and other aircraft struck a number of sites linked to Hamas, the movement that rules the Gaza Strip. "The targets included an armaments production facility, a tunnel for smuggling weaponry and a Hamas military post," the statement said, adding that the attack was carried out in response to a rocket fired from Gaza toward Israeli territory. No one has claimed responsibility for firing the rocket, which was fired as Israel marked its Independence Day. The rocket struck a field northeast of the Gaza Strip, causing no casualty or damage. People gather to show solidarity for police shooting victim Daunte Wright in front of a Chase Bank building on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 16, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Hollywood Demonstration for Daunte Wright Ends in Unrest HOLLYWOOD, Calif.A Hollywood rally April 15 meant to show solidarity for Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Minnesota man fatally shot by police, ended in violence. The 8:30 p.m gathering, near Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, included about 150 people circled around an empty concrete fountain. Plastic flowers and candles lined the fountain, where a large photo of Wright was erected. The black man was killed April 11 during a traffic stop and attempted arrest on an outstanding warrant in Brooklyn Center, a Minneapolis suburb. He was shot by officer Kimberly Potter, who later said she mistook her gun for a Taser. Potter was charged with second-degree manslaughter and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. During the Hollywood rally, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers lined the sidewalk areas across the street from the crowd. Meanwhile, men worked to block out business windows with plywood; preparing for the possibility of looting amidst racial tensions around police shootings in the wake of the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derrick Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd. At one point, men dressed in black began to hand members of the crowed stickers containing the symbol of anti-fascism, a logo for Antifa. Soon after, another man began to play Leonard Cohens Hallelujah on the acoustic guitar while a few in the tightly packed crowed began to sing along with him. Standing in the background behind the photographic display of Wright were men with black ballistic combat helmets, full black face masks, eye protection, and back riot protection gear clad with buttons and art in adding flair to their ominous outfits. A memorial for police shooting victim Daunte Wright on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 16, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) After 10 p.m., protesters took the streets chanting Black Lives Matter, and expletives at the police, along with Wrights name, as they were followed by members of the LAPD, now clad with riot gear. The LAPD announced an unlawful assembly shortly after 10 p.m. During this time, The Epoch Times was notified that Scriberr journalist Kalen DAlmeida was assaulted by protesters during a brief break from his live streaming at approximately 10:30 p.m. DAlmeida is known for his coverage of the summer 2020 riots and was behind the footage of Marquise Love kicking a man in the head in Portland which led to Loves arrest. Although DAlmeida is usually a mere witness to such violence, on April 15 he was the target. Eventually, they started marching, and everything was fine. No one was bothering me. But at some point, around Highland Ave., they determined that I was not their friend, DAlmeida told The Epoch Times. And I was live streaming. So, I noticed that, as I was walking down the sidewalk, there was a couple of guys behind me, and they were pretty close, it was a little suspicious. Sure enough, one of these guys steals my phone, and I didnt know what happened to it. He runs into the middle of the street, and I thought he still had it so I followed him to try and get it back. And his comrade alerts him says, Hey, watch out, as though I was going to retaliate, which I wasnt. Thats when DAlmeida said he was attacked. As one man held him by the back of his collar, he said another approached and punched him in the face, knocking him down. He curled into a ball as the attackers stomped on him and kicked him, he said. I dont know how long that went on for but finally a crowd formed and kind of deescalated the situation, DAlmeida said. After the first punch, I think that really like kind of put me in this blank state. I really didnt have anything going through my mind, so I think if people didnt come to deescalate, I may not have walked out of that. One of the protesters, noted as being one of the organizers of the demonstration by DAlmeida, was seen through footage by videographer Tomas Morales urging the crowd to keep marching after the attack. Keep marching, keep marching, she can be heard saying. She also accosted DAlmeida, he said, slapping him multiple times in the face. You learned your [expletive] lesson, right? DAlmeida, who suffered a fat lip and concussion, said he is unconfident in filing a police report, given the nature of the LAPDs non-interaction in responding to scuffles throughout the night. Author Karen White will be the focus of the next South Bound Lecture for Southern Lit Alliance. Ms. White will be speaking on Thursday, May 13, at 6 p.m. on Zoom about her latest book, The Last Night in London, a tale of intrigue, friendship, betrayal, and unremembered acts of kindness. This event is free to the public, but donations are suggested. Please visit southernlitalliance.org/virtual-south-bound-karen-white-may for more information and to register. About The Last Night in London: London, 1939. Beautiful and ambitious Eva Harlow and her American best friend, Precious Dubose, are trying to make their way as fashion models. When Eva falls in love with Graham St. John, an aristocrat and Royal Air Force pilot, she cant believe her luck that shes getting everything she ever wanted. Then the Blitz devastates her world, and Eva finds herself slipping into a web of intrigue, spies, and secrets. As Eva struggles to protect her friendship with Precious and everything she holds dear, all it takes is one unwary moment to change their lives forever. London, 2019. American journalist Maddie Warner, whose life has been marked by the tragic loss of her mother, travels to London to interview Precious about her life in pre-WWII London. Maddie has been careful to close herself off to others, but in Precious she recognizes someone whose grief rivals her ownbut unlike Maddie, Precious hasnt allowed it to crush her. Maddie finds herself drawn to both Precious and to Colin, her enigmatic surrogate nephew. As Maddie gets closer to her, she begins to unravel Preciouss haunting pasta story of friendship, betrayal, and the unremembered acts of kindness and love. After playing hooky one day in the seventh grade to read Gone With the Wind, Ms. White knew she wanted to be a writeror become Scarlett O'Hara. In spite of those dreams, she pursued her B.A. in Business Management and graduated cum laude from Tulane University. Ten years later, after leaving the business world, she fulfilled her dream of becoming a writer. Now, she is the celebrated author of over 23 books, including the Tradd Street series, The Night the Lights Went Out, Flight Patterns, and The Time Between. She grew up in London, but now lives in Atlanta with her husband. The Last Night in London is her most personal book yet, taking place in the very home where she lived with her family in London. It also features several favorite characters from previous books. Migrant workers enjoy a donated Christmas meal on the premises of the Bangladeshi High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Dec. 25, 2007. Malaysias Human Resources minister said Thursday he was shocked that Bangladeshs embassy had launched a jobs portal to help its citizens connect directly with Malaysian recruiters, without seeking Kuala Lumpurs consent. The Malaysian government uses its own employment portal and licensed private recruiters, so a conflicting website would confuse employers, may cause an influx of illegal workers and jeopardize Malaysians job prospects, Minister M. Saravanan said. I am shocked and appalled with the action of the Bangladesh High Commission that has launched its employment portal without prior consultation nor notification to the Ministry of Human Resources, Saravanan said in a statement. It is unreasonable on the part of the High Commission to take such action which goes against the roles and responsibilities of a foreign diplomatic mission. Responding to Saravans statement, the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur said its Chakrir Khoj jobs portal targeted only undocumented Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia and was created to assist the Malaysian government in a program geared for legalizing undocumented migrants. The Bangladesh High Commission has recently launched an online job portal namely Chakrir Khoj targeting only the illegal Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia to find suitable employers, Golam Sarwar, Dhakas high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur, said in a statement. This initiative is to help the Recalibration Program declared by Malaysian government without prejudice to our ongoing negotiations for the recruitment of new workers from Bangladesh. The program began last November and allows for the recalibration, or legalization, of some undocumented foreign workers. Meanwhile, it turns out that Mohd. Asri Abd. Wahab, Malaysias Labor Department deputy director-general, attended the April 8 virtual ceremony to launch the Bangladesh jobs portal. A Labor Department official, who asked for anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters on the issue, said Wahabs presence at the launch did not reflect the governments acceptance of Bangladeshs jobs portal. The deputy director general was merely attending an invitation to discuss the foreign workers Recalibration Program. Had we known beforehand that the invitation was related to the launching of the job portal that is not recognized by us, the Human Resources Ministry would not have accepted the invitation, the official told BenarNews. Migrant population Malaysias manufacturing and construction sectors and especially its palm oil plantations rely on foreign labor. Malaysia hosts 1.7 million legal foreign workers, according to government data. In 2018, more than 268,000 Bangladeshis were working legally in Malaysia, the data showed. The World Bank estimates that between 1.23 million and 1.46 million undocumented migrants worked in Malaysia in 2017. In October, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had said that palm oil and rubber plantations were facing a manpower shortage after the government closed the countrys borders to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The recalibration program was the governments plan to deal with these shortages. Bangladeshs Sarwar claimed that Malaysias foreign ministry and immigration officials had requested his embassys help with the program. Sarwar also said his embassy had received requests from several Malaysian employers to help them to find suitable Bangladeshi undocumented workers for employment under the program. Those requests were made as the program [did] not allow any third party vendors to help the employers to search for undocumented foreign workers, Sarwar said. Recalibration and demand for foreign workers Malaysias Saravanan also addressed the issues of recalibration and foreign labor demand in his statement. The recalibration program handled by the Human Resources and Home Affairs commenced on Nov. 16 last year and is to end on June 30 this year. It is being executed by government entities and employers without the involvement of vendors or third parties, Saravanan said. Besides, employers have to apply to the immigration and labor departments requesting them to allow certain foreign workers to be recalibrated, or legalized. The program is limited to the recalibration of workers in the manufacturing, construction, plantation and agriculture sectors deemed difficult, dangerous or dirty by the government. On the issue of Malaysian employees seeking suitable foreign workers, Saravanan said that his ministry managed a national employment portal, MyFutureJobs, which advertises domestic job vacancies involving the recruitment of foreign workers. This recruitment is managed by private employment agencies licensed by the Department of Labor. The presence of a Bangladeshi jobs portal can mislead and create confusion in the minds of the public and local employers, and have other ill effects, Saravanan said. The employment portal may cause the influx of Bangladeshi illegal workers to the country which could lead to exploitation due to the uncertainty of their immigration status that could mar Malaysias image, the Malaysian minister said. Last September, the United States announced an immediate ban on imports of palm oil from Malaysias largest producer, citing forced labor. In addition, Bangladeshs portal could jeopardize the business of more than 400 government-licensed private employment agencies, the minister said. These local companies have been out of business for over a year but are still paying the required license fee, he said, referring to the period of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Saravanan acknowledged that many sectors deemed unattractive depend on foreign workers. Still, he said, his ministry has always given primacy to local workers when it comes to filling job vacancies. Saravanan said he was in talks with employers from the sectors affected by the pandemic to urge them advertise their job openings on the governments jobs portal. This is to ensure that no local workers are deprived of their opportunity to secure employment, he said. Saravanan also said he was mandated to prepare a comprehensive paper on the actual requirement of foreign workers in all sectors. As such, it is inappropriate for the Bangladesh High Commission to launch the said employment portal in Malaysia which is seen as undermining the governments plans to manage the actual demand of foreign labor in the country. How Photography Became Contemporary Art By Andy Grundberg Yale. 286 pp. $40 - - - When Andy Grundberg wanted to take a photography course at Cornell University in the 1960s, he had to go to its agriculture school. It wasn't long, however, before artists everywhere were exploring photography as a part of their creative practice, and by the 1980s, the medium was at the center of contemporary art and the "aesthetic driver" of the most exciting work to be found in galleries and studios. It was during this period that Grundberg came of age in New York - first as a camera geek and technical writer, and then as a freelancer on his way to becoming a photography critic for the New York Times.His aptly titled "How Photography Became Contemporary Art: Inside an Artistic Revolution From Pop to the Digital Age" is a personal, critical reflection. Of course, photographers and artists recognized the aesthetic merits of photography before the 1970s. Alfred Stieglitz began exhibiting photographs in New York in the early 1900s as part of his project of introducing modernism to America. Out West, Ansel Adams invested in the purity of the photographic image as he used his camera to capture landscapes in ways unique to the medium. In the aftermath of World War II, however, painting and sculpture were paramount, and artists' efforts to express the inner world rather than depict the outer one left little room for the mechanical work of cameras. When Grundberg arrived in New York in 1971, that had begun to change. Andy Warhol was famous by then; artists like Robert Rauschenberg had been using photo-based techniques in mixed-media work for some time; the Museum of Modern Art's 1972 posthumous retrospective of Dianne Arbus was a landmark event. And something new was happening with photography and the avant-garde. Earth and performance art required documentation so that audiences would know about, say, Robert Smithson's "Spiral Jetty" or Adrian Piper's latest provocative intervention as the Mythic Being. Grundberg shows, however, that artists like his friend Gordon Matta-Clark were becoming increasingly interested in the image of their performances or interventions in the landscape. Photography was no longer just a tool to let others know about an artist's creation; it had its own properties that were inseparable from the artist's creative work. Grundberg is adept at showing this development through personal reactions: in particular, his realization that this "feeling of being at sea with my own experience" was "an infallible indicator that one may be experiencing real art." The '70s came to be known as a decade of artistic pluralism, and Grundberg astutely conveys the heady atmosphere of a New York affordable enough to be a home for experimenting artists and gallerists. It was also a time of poverty and crime, he notes, bringing to mind Jacob Burkhardt's thesis that the arts flowered in the Italian Renaissance because politics was such a cruel mess. Grundberg treks up to Buffalo and Rochester to see shows, meet photographers and swim the happily uncharted waters of what came to be called postmodernism - waters riled by the conceptual/affective influence of the California tricksters William Wegman and especially John Baldessari. Conceptual art was key to the shift in photography's artistic status, and the discourse about art often seemed inseparable from the experience of pictures. Susan Sontag and Rolland Barthes took photography seriously as art, artifact and cultural symptom, while others argued that in contemporary culture there was no escaping a reality already infused with images. Indeed, thanks to the insightful critic Douglas Crimp, the word "pictures" - also the title of the 1977 exhibition he organized - came to be loaded with significance, pointing to how artists disdain depictive purity in favor of deconstructive reframing and quotation. By the 1980s, Cindy Sherman's mercurial practice had made her a paragon of the postmodern. This artist pictured herself in so many conventional (and then shocking) guises, it seemed impossible to tell where the real ended and the image began. Sherman was always a step ahead of her critics and audience, "disappearing into the myriad of identities available to her," Grundberg writes, "in quintessential Postmodern fashion." The '80s saw the rise of "new documentarians," and the book introduces readers to German artists who sought a cool objectivity, as well as African American artists who used narrative to convey political meaning. Grundberg is especially interested in Nan Goldin's "Ballad of Sexual Dependency," which he says is to the 1980s what Robert Frank's "The Americans" is to the 1950s. Goldin documented her life as a downtown artist with "an obsessive attention" to "nearly all permutations of human interaction." The sad message he finds in her work is that personal intimacy is not a cure for social isolation, but the joyful "performances" of these pictures through slide shows in clubs at least mitigated the loneliness documented. Grundberg takes readers through the culture wars of the 1990s - from the appropriation of pornography in Robert Mapplethorpe's work to the debates about originality and commercialism that have peppered photographic practice over the last 20 years. He notes that we have come to accept that cameras refashion the world rather than just present a slice of it for our consideration, though I think he may underestimate how strong the longing is for the truth of an image - how deep the desire for depiction goes. We know that images alter, but that doesn't mean we are satisfied by mere alteration. The maturation of Grundberg as a renowned critic coincides with the maturation of photography as an art form and its conquest of the art market. With this fine book, he has given us a personal yet balanced account of how pictures define some of us and how we define some of them. - - - Michael S. Roth is the president of Wesleyan University. His most recent book is "Safe Enough Spaces: A Pragmatist's Approach to Inclusion, Free Speech, and Political Correctness on College Campuses." By William Schwartz | Published on 2021/04/15 The public relations situation for actress Seo Ye-ji has continued to worsen since yesterday, with many individual details of allegations against the actress being confirmed even as the overall tenor of the situation remains vague. Most notably, the Complutense University of Madrid was asked to verify that Seo Ye-ji had been accepted to the school as a young woman. Though they refused to confirm or deny Seo Ye-ji's situation, the prompting of the request was the real significance. Specifically, one of the statements regarding Seo Ye-ji's school-age bullying made note of how the actress claimed to have prepared to go to school in Spain. This background detail has actually been confirmed in Seo Ye-ji's broadcast career. In 2014 Lee Soon-jae of the popular variety show Grandpas Over Flowers made reference to Seo Ye-ji's Spanish language notes. Purportedly she gave him the notes when they were co-stars on "Potato Star" back in 2013. The detail of Seo Ye-ji's early career had been almost entirely forgotten. Regardless of whether Seo Ye-ji was actually accepted by the university in question, its inclusion appears to verify that the accuser who mentioned it did in fact know Seo Ye-ji in a direct capacity. Seo Ye-ji had not mentioned this part of her background in recent years. Her agency claims that while Seo Ye-ji was accepted and prepared for entrance, she ultimately did not go to instead focus on her acting career. Elsewhere Seo Ye-ji was accused of gaslighting behavior during the course of filming "The Night Watchman's Journal" back in 2014. Purportedly Yunho also participated in cruel treatment of staff during this time, the two co-stars having been engaged in a secret relationship. They would also erupt in fury at staff, seemingly at random, over such trivial errors as misapplied makeup. The specificity of the allegations is a likely response to claims from other staff that Seo Ye-ji is a kind person. While the true nature of Seo Ye-ji's professional and personal behavior remain unknown, the overall tone toward the actress is taking a increasing turn toward the negative. Television personality Jo Se-ho was noted to have briefly "liked" an accusation on social media, though he quickly reversed the preference. It is unknown whether this was a mere mistake, or whether Jo Se-ho impulsively and inadvertently confirmed Seo Ye-ji's poor reputation without consideration to the unresolved nature of the situation. Written by William Schwartz The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) retired, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, has said that Nigeria is traditionally being cons... The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) retired, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, has said that Nigeria is traditionally being considered a transit country for drug trafficking. Marwa stated this in his presentation on the national drug control master plan at the commission on Narcotic drugs conference taking place in Vienna, Austria, NAN reports. According to him, this justifies the agencys offensive action against illicit drugs production laboratories and farms. He said the agency took the step because of the threat drugs posed to Nigerias national security. Nigeria is traditionally considered a transit country for drug trafficking. The problem is much bigger as different categories of drugs are produced, consumed and trafficked in the country. Drugs trafficked include: cannabis, cocaine, heroin and tramadol. Cannabis is cultivated in different parts of the country and there is evidence of methamphetamine producing laboratories. NDLEA has destroyed thousands of hectares of cannabis cultivated land as well as 18 methamphetamine manufacturing laboratories, he said. Marwa further stated that a situation where the drug use prevalence in Nigeria was 14.4 per cent was unacceptable, adding that necessary steps must be taken to reverse the trend. Cannabis used by 10.6 million Nigerians is the most common used drug followed by opioid with 4.6 million including tramadol. This is in addition to the fact that one in every five individuals using drugs is a woman and one in five who had used drug in the past year is suffering from drug user disorder, he added. The NDLEA boss, however, said the agency remained committed as Nigerias premier drug control agency with the mandate to provide effective and efficient services to Nigerians. A Zulu 'prince', 29, who once appeared on South Africa Idol has been shot dead by cops in Hawaii after he allegedly charged at officers who were responding to a 911 call claiming he had followed a woman into her home. Lindani Myeni, a married father-of-two from the Zulu Kingdom in South Africa, was shot and killed Wednesday evening by Honolulu Police officers during an apparent home invasion incident in the Nuuanu neighborhood. Police said Myeni, who lived nearby, followed a woman into her home, took off his shoes and exhibited 'odd' behavior. Myeni, who is black, then allegedly assaulted the three police officers who arrived on the scene with the police chief saying their 'lives were in jeopardy', before the cops fired four shots at him. One cop was hospitalized with major facial injuries and concussion following the incident while the other two also sustained injuries, police said. But Myeni's family has cast doubts on this version of events, with his American wife saying he was not a violent person and suggesting his actions may have been the result of cultural differences after he moved to Hawaii in January. His death comes one week after Honolulu Police officers shot and killed 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap during a car chase on April 5. Both males killed in the officer-involved shootings are thought to have been unarmed at the time. A Zulu 'prince', 29, who once appeared on South Africa Idol has been shot dead by cops in Hawaii after he allegedly charged at officers who were responding to a 911 call claiming he had followed a woman into her home. Lindani Myeni with his wife and two children Lindani Myeni, a married father-of-two from the Zulu Kingdom in South Africa, was shot and killed Wednesday evening by Honolulu Police officers. Pictured in his South Africa Idol audition The fatal shooting unfolded at around 8:10pm Wednesday when officers were called to a home on Coelho Way after receiving a 911 call from a woman for a burglary in progress. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said in a press conference Thursday that Myeni appears to have arrived at the property by car before allegedly following the woman into her home. Once inside, he then sat down and took off his shoes, and was trying to talk to the homeowners, she said. 'From what we can gather at this time, he walked into the house, kind of erratic and odd behavior, ' Ballard said. 'He sat down, took off his shoes and was trying to talk to the people, but they were very upset and trying to get him out, and he eventually walked out. 'They didn't know who he was and were trying to talk to him. The homeowners were very shook up and upset.' He had exited the home and was in his vehicle outside when the officers arrived on the scene. Ballard said the first officer arrived on the scene and the homeowner identified a man - later revealed to be Myeni - sitting in a vehicle outside as the person who had entered her home. Police said Myeni, who lived nearby, followed a woman into her home, took off his shoes and exhibited 'odd' behavior Myeni and his wife Lindsay who he met six years ago when she was on a Christian mission in South Africa Myeni (pictured with his wife) then allegedly assaulted the three police officers who arrived on the scene with the police chief saying their 'lives were in jeopardy', before the cops fired four shots at him At this point, Myeni got out of his car and started to walk toward the second officer who had arrived on the scene, police said. Ballard said the officers told Myeni to stop and get on the ground. Instead, Myeni 'turned and charged' at one of the cops, punching him several times, she said. The second officer tried to get Myeni off the first officer while the third officer arrived on the scene, instantly deploying his taser at the suspect, she said. Ballard said the taser was ineffective in subduing Myeni, who then charged at the third officer and punched him. Myeni then allegedly ran back at the first officer who fired a single gunshot at him. Ballard said the shot did not stop the Myeni, who tackled the officer to the ground, straddling him and punching him repeatedly. At this point, the second cop fired three rounds at Myeni, who fell to the ground, police said. 'This all happened in less than one minute from officer one's arrival,' Ballard said. Myeni was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition where he later died from his injuries. The three officers were also taken to hospital for treatment for multiple injuries. The first officer on the scene suffered multiple facial fractures, concussion and injuries to his arms and legs and was still in hospital Thursday. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said in a press conference Thursday that one cop was hospitalized with major facial injuries and concussion following the incident while the other two also sustained injuries Police are seen at the crime scene in the Nuuanu neighborhood in Hawaii Wednesday night The second cop had multiple injuries to his body, arms and legs while the third had a concussion and abrasions. These officers were treated and discharged from hospital. Ballard insisted the black man's killing was 'nothing to do with race' but insisted that the officers' lives were 'in jeopardy.' 'I think what we need to remember is it had nothing to do with race. It had to do with behavior and the fact that this person seriously injured the officers and their lives were in jeopardy,' Ballard said. This comes as protests have erupted this week over the killing of 20-year-old black man Daunte Wright by a white female cop in Minneapolis - just 10 miles from the courthouse where another white cop Derek Chauvin is being tried for George Floyd's murder. The three officers involved in Myeni's death have not been identified and their races, ages and genders are not known. They were all veteran cops with 23, 18 and 10 years of service. The officers were all wearing body cameras but the footage has not been released. The police chief said it is being reviewed to see if it can be released to the public but no timeframe has been given. Myeni's family has cast doubts on the police's version of events, with his American wife Lindsay (pictured together) saying he was not a violent person She suggested his actions may have been the result of cultural differences after he moved to Hawaii in January. Lindsay said in the Zulu Kingdom it is customary to go into 'anyone's home' and taking off his shoes was a mark of respect The identities of the homeowners have also not been revealed but both the police chief and Myeni's wife said the 29-year-old did not know them prior to the incident. 'They didn't know who he was,' said Ballard. It is not clear if Myeni acted aggressively toward the homeowners or whether he was under the influence at the time with Ballard saying investigators were still looking into the incident. He had no prior criminal history. Ballard did not reveal Myeni's identity in the briefing but his family later confirmed the 29-year-old's death to local media. Myeni's wife Lindsay Myeni, who was born in the US but met her husband while she was on missionary work in South Africa, told Hawaii News Now she does not know what led him to visit the home. However, she dismissed the claims it was a burglary, describing him as the 'most gentle person' and suggesting different cultural norms may have meant his actions were misunderstood by the residents. Myeni is from the Zulu Kingdom where it is customary for people to visit 'anyone's house', she told the outlet. 'In Zulu culture you can go to anyone's house. You can knock on anyone's door. It doesn't matter if it's 8 o'clock it's not a big deal. Neighbor are neighbors,' she said. Lindsay added that the police account that he took off his shoes shows he believed he was showing the homeowners respect. 'It says he took off his shoes. I'm sure he did that as a sign of respect,' she told the outlet. Lindsay said her husband had been on his way home to the house they shared with their two children just down the street from the now-crime scene. He had been at the Pali Lookout earlier that day and seemed his usual self, she said, adding she had spoken to him less than 20 minutes before the incident unfolded. The Economic Freedom Fighters Kwazulu-Natal released a statement on social media condemning Myeni's 'murder' 'He was on his way home. So for whatever reason, he stopped to talk to this neighbor - that literally is down the street from us,' she said. 'I don't know why he stopped at those people's house,' she said, adding that they didn't know each other. She insisted he 'wouldn't burglarize' saying: 'We have money. We have everything we need. We're not looking for anything. He wanted to talk to them for some reason.' Lindsay told the outlet she could not understand what had happened as he is the 'most gentle person... and the best father.' She added: 'We've got two babies under 2. I've got to go to sleep every night without him.' Myeni appeared on Idols (South Africa) in 2013 and was the nephew of a rural king's village in the Zulu Kingdom, meaning he has the rank of a prince. He also used to play rugby for KZN club in Durban. Myeni and his wife met six years ago when she was on a Christian mission in the country. They lived in South Africa for three years before moving to the US and then relocating to Hawaii in January. His death comes one week after Honolulu Police officers shot and killed 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap (pictured) during a car chase on April 5 Myeni was supposed to have his green card interview next week, his wife said. 'We dated, got engaged and got married before he ever came to America,' Lindsay told Hawaii News Now. 'He never wanted to come to America. It was never anything he was interested in. He loves his people. He is from the Zulu tribe. They speak Zulu.' She added: 'We thought here we would be safe. What am I going to tell his family back home? They trusted me to keep him safe here. What am I going to tell my son?' The Economic Freedom Fighters Kwazulu-Natal, a far-left political party, released a statement on social media condemning Myeni's 'murder'. 'The Economic Freedom Fighters Kwazulu-Natal notes with outrage the senseless killing of Richards Bay's Esikhaleni resident Mr Lindani Myeni (29) who was shot to death by three white US police officers outside his residence in Nuuanu in Hawaii on Wednesday night,' it read. The race of the officers has not been revealed. The statement went on to accuse the US of 'covert racism on Black people by continuously stereotyping them as possessing criminal elements, as the report alleges that there was a suspiciously looking man who was sitting in the car.' Myeni's death comes just one week after Sykap, a 16-year-old from the U.S. territory of Guam, was shot dead by Honolulu police officers on April 5. Sykap died from multiple gunshot wounds following a police chase that started on the East side of O'ahu and ended near Kalakaua Avenue. Six people were in the car, with two of them shot by officers in the incident. These officer-involved shootings come as the nation is reeling from multiple other police killings of predominantly black men across the US. Daunte Wright left and Adam Toledo right Sykap was taken to a hospital where he died while the other person shot - a 14-year-old boy - survived. Police said the car was involved in an armed robbery just 20 minutes prior to the shooting. Bodycam footage has not been released in this case either with Ballard saying Thursday that officials have to be careful about releasing it because Sykap and some of his passengers in the car are juveniles. There are over 50 body-worn cameras that have to be reviewed in that case, she said. These officer-involved shootings come as the nation is reeling from multiple other police killings of predominantly black men across the US. In Minnesota, a white female cop shot and killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old black father-of-one, on Sunday during a traffic stop after she allegedly confused her gun for a taser. This sparked renewed protests in the state where tensions are already running high amid Chauvin's trial for the murder of black man Floyd. Meanwhile, on Thursday, bodycam footage was released of the moment 13-year-old boy Adam Toledo was shot dead by a Chicago cop during a foot chase on March 29. Thank you for Reading. As a community service, our obituaries are always free to view. In order to better know our audience, we ask that you register to continuing viewing. Every leaders legacy is defined by great challenges. President Barack Obama led the rescue of the global economy in the aftermath of the global financial crash. Chancellor Angela Merkel led the welcoming into Germany of refugees fleeing war when few would. President Nelson Mandela led South Africa out of apartheid and made peace with his longtime adversaries, as we did in Colombia. Today President Joe Biden has on his shoulders not one but many extraordinary tests of unparalleled scale. Not a hundred days have passed in his administration and already fortunately for the world we are seeing what leadership looks like: domestic action to control the pandemic to global efforts toward tackling climate change and pursuing progressive corporate taxation. Poor countries don't have access to the vaccine The most urgent test, however, that still needs leadership from the international community is action to end the pandemic. We must feel ashamed with the state of global vaccine rollout: 86% of all vaccines have gone to the richest nations with only 0.1% reaching lower-income countries. Most poor countries face waiting until at least 2024 to have their people immunized. Some might never get there. The world is not short of leaders taking admirable measures to beat the pandemic within their borders. But ending the pandemic cannot be achieved in any one country alone. COVID-19 anywhere is a threat to humanity everywhere. As has been said, nobody is safe until everybody is safe. And defeating it inextricably relies on U.S. leadership. That is why I joined more than 170 former world leaders and Nobel laureates from every continent to encourage President Biden to play the role that only he can: Scale up the global supply of safe and effective vaccines, and give people across the globe the chance to wake up in a world free from the virus. COVID-19 vaccine on April 15, 2021, in Miami. What we are asking is for President Biden to support a temporary waiver at the World Trade Organization (WTO) of intellectual property rules on COVID-19 vaccines and technologies. This move, combined with U.S. leadership on both technology transfer through the World Health Organization, and a coordinated global investment in the distribution of manufacturing capacity, would allow the world to produce billions of more vaccines particularly in the developing world so we can beat this virus everywhere. Story continues Nobody should take this call lightly. We all believe in the power of free markets. We recognize the industrious role of the intellectual property system in stimulating innovation, including, of course, for medicines, that has helped foster economic and technological progress. But the system in this case is not delivering and cannot be protected at all costs. Todays unprecedented pandemic that has killed over 3 million people, pushed tens of millions into destitution and is threatening deadly new outbreaks demands unprecedented measures. Full support of intellectual property protections by rich nations is failing us all. It is preventing efforts from using available capacity, and upscaling it, to make vaccines around the world. Let us be bold: Standing by pharmaceutical monopolies in a global pandemic is allowing people to be killed when they could be saved. As simple as that. Global solutions based on charitable donations, or supporting the very limited COVAX initiative, are certainly helpful. But far from enough. What is truly needed is qualified manufacturers over the world being able to produce COVID-19 vaccines. COVID and baseball: In COVID's late innings, Major League Baseball should take precautions and keep fans safe Times like these is when strategic government action is needed. It is governments, especially U.S. taxpayers, that overwhelmingly funded the development of COVID-19 vaccines. A waiver, on a temporary basis until the virus is eliminated, would be a pragmatic and effective global solution. It is greatly encouraging that the Biden administration is considering supporting a WTO waiver proposal by South Africa and India. We hope other countries join and follow through. Vaccine inequality would cost the world economy Supporting such actions to swiftly make available a vaccine to everyone, everywhere a true peoples vaccine would make the United States and the rest of the world safer and more prosperous. It helps prevent new COVID-19 variants from developing, which even threatens the already vaccinated. It also makes economic sense. According to recent data, todays vaccine inequality could cost an estimated $9.2 trillion in global economic losses. The United States could lose up to as much as $1.3 trillion in gross domestic product, and $2,700 per person in household spending this year, which is $1,300 more than the recent stimulus check that each American received from President Bidens administration. Return trip to normal: Don't call it a vaccine passport. It's a ticket to life after COVID. A WTO waiver to allow the transfer of vaccine technologies and a coordinated investment in their manufacturing would be seen as a profound act of much needed solidarity with a very distressed world. Not only the United States but the developed world as a whole would be wise to follow. Indeed, this is a great chance for the U.S. to regain its global standing. Countries and citizens in every continent will long remember where the oldest democracy stood in their hour of need. I have had the privilege of working closely with President Biden, as vice president, and before, as a relentlessly committed champion of peace and security, and as a friend. The world is fortunate to have him at the helm today. With fellow world leaders, I ask him to take the urgent action necessary to end this pandemic for all. That would be a legacy to be proud of. Juan Manuel Santos is the former president of Colombia and the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2016. 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: Biden needs to support a waiver at the WTO to spread vaccines worldwide BGEA, Scottish church sue charity over 'anti-religious discrimination' for canceling event Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and a Scottish church have sued one of Scotland's largest charities, alleging discrimination because of their religious beliefs. Stirling Free Church and BGEA have sued The Robertson Trust over its decision to cancel a contract with the evangelical entities for the use of its Barracks Conference Centre for a Sunday worship service and a training session. The plan was to host an event at The Barracks Conference Centre to train churches for an outreach program known as the Graham Tour U.K., but the Trust canceled the agreement. The litigation is being coordinated by The Christian Institute, based in England, with the case scheduled to be heard in Glasgow Sheriff Court next week. Robert Chilvers, BGEAs U.K. director of Training and Church Ministry, said in a statement emailed to The Christian Post that this was anti-religious discrimination, plain and simple. If the Barracks was a religion or belief organization, the law would allow it to be selective in not hiring out its premises to groups that dont share its beliefs. But the Barracks is not a religion or belief organization, Chilvers told CP. It is a neutral space, offered to the public at large. You cant have a situation where religious groups are banned from hiring neutral spaces. That is not a free society. Gerry McLaughlin, a spokesperson for The Robertson Trust, said in an emailed statement to CP that the board of trustees' vice chair said the claims of discrimination were completely unfounded. The decision to cancel the hire of The Barracks Conference Centre by the Free Church of Scotland at Stirling and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, was based entirely on our policy which states that we do not fund or support projects and activities which incorporate the promotion of political or religious beliefs, McLaughlin said. On discovering the breach to our policy, the trustees took immediate action to cancel the booking and reimburse the heavily subsidized charity rates that had been offered in error to the Free Church of Scotland at Stirling and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, he added. In an interview with the Times of London, Chilvers of the BGEA disputed the Trust's claims that they were unaware that the organization is Christian. We made it clear to the venue at the time of booking that we are a Christian organization, Chilvers said. It was only later that they came back and said they were canceling our booking because of our religion. You cant have a situation where religious groups are banned from hiring neutral spaces. That is not a free society. The Rev. Iain Macaskill of Stirling Free Church, told the Times that they were being discriminated against because of their belief that marriage is a union between one man and one woman. We were shocked to be told we could no longer use the Barracks for our Sunday services, Macaskill said. We had negotiated with the trust in good faith and their contract expressly refers to us using the premises for religious worship." McLaughlin contended to CP that the Trust is proud of its work with faith-based organizations, with whom we work closely to address the issues of poverty and trauma in communities across Scotland. In the last six years, the Trust has funded over 130 religious organizations for their inclusive community projects where promotion of religious beliefs or worship was not core to delivery, providing over $3.4 million (2.5 million), he added. DUESSELDORF (dpa-AFX) - German consumer goods maker Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (HENOY, HENKY) reported Friday good start into 2021 with first-quarter development above market expectations. Despite these uncertainties, the company is aiming to return to sales and earnings growth in 2021. Based on preliminary figures, the company still expects organic sales growth of around 7 percent in the first quarter. Further, the company reported good progress in implementing strategic agenda for purposeful growth. At today's Annual General Meeting of Henkel, CEO Carsten Knobel explained the effects of the Corona crisis and addressed the progress made in implementing the strategic agenda. He also highlighted the priorities for 2021 and reaffirmed the company's long-term strategic focus on purposeful growth. The company also proposed a dividend on prior-year level of 1.85 euros per preferred share and 1.83 euros per ordinary share. Commenting on expectations for the economic environment in the current fiscal year, Knobel said, 'We expect industrial demand to recover, in some areas significantly. This also applies for consumer segments which are relevant for our company, in particular the Hair Salon business.' The CEO also pointed out the uncertainties that still exist with regard to future developments. Henkel will provide further details and background on the sales development in the first quarter on May 6. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX HENKEL-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Flash U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday called for de-escalating the tension with Moscow after authorizing multiple sanctions against Russia. In his remarks at the White House, Biden detailed his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, as well as his administration's approach to bilateral relations. "I was clear with President Putin that we could have gone further, but I chose not to do so. I chose to be proportionate," Biden said, referring to the punitive actions against Russia that he authorized. The United States earlier in the day announced the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats and sweeping sanctions against individuals and entities in response to Moscow's alleged election interference and cyber activities. On the same day, Russia Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov summoned U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan, telling him that the new anti-Russian sanctions will shortly be followed by "a series of retaliatory measures." "The United States is not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia," Biden said. "We want a stable, predictable relationship." Biden suggested that Washington and Moscow work together to address global challenges such as non-proliferation, global pandemic, and climate change. "Now is the time to de-escalate. The way forward is through thoughtful dialogue and diplomatic process," Biden said. "The U.S. is prepared to continue constructively to move toward that process." He said he proposed a summit with Putin in Europe this summer to address a range of bilateral issues, and the two countries are discussing the possibility of this meeting. "And out of that summit were it to occur, and I believe it will, the United States and Russia could launch a strategic stability dialogue to pursue cooperation in arms control and security," he said. In the meantime, he warned that "if Russia continues to interfere with our democracy, I'm prepared to take further actions to respond." He also reaffirmed U.S. support to allies and partners in Europe, saying he urged Putin "to refrain from any military action" over Ukraine. The Kremlin repeatedly said that claims of Russia's alleged meddling in the 2020 U.S. elections were baseless and regretful, calling them a pretext for additional sanctions. Relations between Washington and Moscow have been adversarial in recent years. The two are bitterly divided over Ukraine, human rights, and cybersecurity issues, and they mutually accuse the other of domestic political interference. The Bucharest Court of Appeal ordered today the reopening of the investigation against the former Gendarmerie heads in the August 10 rally case, after granting the complaint filed by a protester. Plaintiff Ioan Craciuneanu was tear-gassed and threatened by the gendarmes at the August 10, 2018 anti-government rally in Victoriei Square, and sustained leg injuries after a grenade exploded next to him, agerpres.ro confirms. The Court of Appeal upheld Craciuneanu's complaint against the ordinance of the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism by which the case was closed on June 26, 2020. This final decision will result in prosecutors reopening the criminal investigation against former Gendarmerie heads Sebastian Cucos, Catalin Sindile and Laurentiu Cazan. Site 2 Jars. The jars are believed to have been used for funerary purposes. Credit: PJARP In the rugged province of Xieng Khoaung in upper northern Laos are scattered more than 2,000 large carved stone jars. They vary in size, with the biggest standing at just over 2.5 meters tall and weighing in at 30 tons. The jars are believed to have been used for funerary purposes, with human remains (including teeth) found buried around some of the jars. Our Lao-Australian archaeological research team has been working to unlock some of the secrets of the Laos jar sites since 2016. 2020 was our fourth field season and the team headed back to Laos with a mission to complete survey expeditions in some of the less-frequented regions of northern Laos, and excavate at a location at Site 1 (known as Ban Hai Hin) the most visited of the 11 UNESCO World Heritage listed jar sites. This is a job made more challenging given the extensive unexploded ordnance that still contaminates Xieng Khouang Province, where less than one percent of the land has been cleared. Keeping ahead of COVID Our team met up again with Dr. Thonglith Luangkoth, the project co-director from the Laos Department of Heritage, in Vientiane and we drove the seven hours to the Plain of Jars. But in February 2020, news of the spread of COVID-19 added extra pressure to the schedule of work, excavations and mapping Fortunately, discoveries were made very quickly . Our team, made up of Australian and Lao researchers and students, uncovered more human burials around the megalithic jars and confirmed that the exotic quartz rich boulders found across Site 1 were used as place markers for sub-surface ceramic burial jars. Buried ceramic jars at Site 1. Credit: PJARP Back in the Xieng Khouang museum, about 10 kilometers away from our excavations, our examination of the contents of some of these buried ceramic vessels showed they contained the skeletal remains of infants and children. Although ceramic jar burials are known throughout Southeast Asia dating from around 2250 BCE, and archaeologists have found other examples in Laos in the 1980'sthis was the first time the Laos ceramic jars were shown to contain human skeletal material. This tells us that the mortuary activity at the site was much more complex than we first thought, featuring three types of ritualprimary burials (where the skeleton is laid out), secondary burials (bundles of bones) and the ceramic jar burials. New radiocarbon dates of bone from a secondary burial located next to jars at Site 1 indicates interment occurred between 773-987 CE, mirroring dates from our earlier 2016 excavations. Conserving the past Arriving back in Australia in March 2020, just days before lockdown, our team carefully carried skeletal, ceramic and sediment samples for dating and isotopic analysis, as well as precious bronze artifacts that will be conserved at the University's Grimwade Center for Cultural Materials Conservation. The research results from our earlier 2019 excavations at nearby Site 2, about 12 km from Site 1, suggest the jars were placed there potentially as early as the late second millennium BCE. Excavations at Site 2 suggested the jars were placed there potentially as early as the late second millennium BCE. Credit: PJARP We used Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) to date the sediments beneath the jars, which gives us an estimate of when sediment was last exposed to light. Until now, we could only guess at when the sites may have been created and the jars positioned by studying the artifacts found around the jars. Our aim is to now use this method at some of the other sites, where the stone source isn't found in the immediate vicinity of the site. Mapping history Extensive UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or drone) mapping of Site 1 was also completed in 2020. This has created of a high-resolution 3D map of the area, recording the precise position of each of the 316 individually numbered jars. Dr. Luangkhoth and his team of heritage researchers can now cross-check the condition of the sites and jars against an extensive repository of photographs, 3D models, and morphological data curated by the team over the past few years. A digitised map of jar locations at Site 1. Credit: University of Melbourne Together with the Lao archaeology students, local heritage staff and volunteers working on the project, Dr. Luangkhoth brings local insight to the understanding of the sites and the significant role they play in the life and culture of the Lao people. An exciting new development has been the successful collaboration with innovative data specialists from the Melbourne Data Analytics Platform (MDAP) who have created a data repository and website This resource provides our Lao colleagues, UNESCO staff, heritage personnel, other researchers and students, access to scientific data, historical material along with reports and analyses to assist the ongoing conservation efforts of the World Heritage site. While we can't be at the sites, the data on the platform can be updated as more discoveries are made, allowing research to continue during this period of restricted international travel. Our team is hoping to return to Laos when international travel resumes after the pandemic. In the meantime, we have plenty of analyses to complete including the isotopic analysis from the recent excavations, dating of ceramic sherds and the conservation of bronze artifacts which will be returned to Laos for display in the Xieng Khouang museum. When we combine these results with the radiocarbon dates from the burials at Site 1, estimated to be between the 8th and 13th centuries CE, this indicates that the sites have maintained cultural significance for a considerable amount of time. Our research also details geochronological studies of jar and quarry samples used to determine the likely source of stone for the jars at Site 1. Site 21 or Phou Keng Quarry. Credit: University of Melbourne Using U-Pb zircon dating, a method used by geologists to identify source rocks and their ages, zircon grains from a jar at Site 1 were compared to a sandstone outcrop and an unfinished jar from a presumed quarry around eight kilometers away from Site 1. All three samples revealed identical age groupings suggesting they have a very similar provenance and that the outcrop (at Phou Kheng or Site 21) was the likely source of the material used for the jar at Site 1. Explore further Researchers solve more of the mystery of Laos megalithic jars More information: Louise Shewan et al. Dating the megalithic culture of laos: Radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence and U/Pb zircon results, PLOS ONE (2021). Journal information: PLoS ONE Louise Shewan et al. Dating the megalithic culture of laos: Radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence and U/Pb zircon results,(2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247167 (Newser) More than 100 times, Mike Pompeo or his wife, Susan, asked State Department employees to handle errands and personal tasks for them, such as booking salon appointments and picking up the family dog. The former secretary of state told investigators the requests were minor, the sort of things friends do for friends. Pompeo's lawyer called the allegations a bunch of politically biased "picayune complaints." But the State Department's inspector generals office has determined they broke federal ethics rules concerning the use of taxpayer-funded resources, Politico reports. The watchdog's office noted that small tasks aren't exempt from the rules, and that the Pompeos' requests altogether consumed a significant amount of employee time, paid for by taxpayers. story continues below Susan Pompeo asked employees to buy a T-shirt for a friend and have flowers sent to friends recovering from illness. She wasn't a government employee, but staff members told investigators that they regarded her requests as being endorsed by her husband, per Politico. A report released in December found that ethics rules were not violated when Susan Pompeo went along on official trips with her husband, though it said the State Department didn't properly approve six of her eight trips. The new report notes the Pompeos didn't compensate staff members for the personal tasks, which took up their time when they were on duty and off. (President Trump fired a State Department inspector general who was thought to be investigating Pompeo.) Apr. 16Everybody loves 'Big Wade' at Cherokee Bluff High. Andrew Wade, who goes by the nickname for his 6-foot, 5-inch offensive lineman's frame, is a gregarious senior who makes friends easy and always has a kind word for everyone he meets. "Andrew's got a magnetic personality and the kind of person everyone gravitates to," Cherokee Bluff football coach Tommy Jones said. And after a gut-wrenching chain of events that he would later find out had him clinging to life support in the hospital stemming from what originated as a fluke football-related injury he counts his blessings everyday that he's alive and will walk across the stage in May to receive his high school diploma. "I'm so grateful to be alive," said the 18-year-old Wade, who plans to attend college next fall. "I know all the glory goes to God for my recovery." SALEM, Ore. Democrats in the Oregon House passed a bill on Thursday that may extend some protections to homeless people who would otherwise be subject to civil or criminal penalties for sleeping outdoors on public property. House Bill 3115 follows the spirit of a federal court ruling, Martin v. City of Boise, that requires governments provide some options for people experiencing homelessness finding that as long as there is no option of sleeping indoors, the government cannot criminalize indigent, homeless people for sleeping outdoors, on public property, on the false premise they had a choice in the matter. Like the Martin ruling, HB 3115 hinges on a particular word, "reasonable." Cities and other municipalities can pass ordinances to regulate sleeping or camping on public property, but those regulations must be deemed objectively reasonable. "They must take into account the resources available to houseless individuals and the impact of the regulations on persons experiencing homelessness," House Democrats said. "This statutory framework will also protect individuals experiencing homelessness from fines or arrest for sleeping or camping on public property when there are no other options." It's unclear how this bill, if signed into law, would interact with regulations like Medford's recently passed prohibited camping ordinance. City officials have stressed that the ordinance was designed with Martin in mind, in addition to an early version of this legislation. Based on the language of HB 3115, any assessment of Medford's ordinance, reasonable or otherwise, would likely have to be hashed out in court. Under the bill, anyone penalized for sleeping in violation of a city or county law one that isn't directly pursuant to existing state law would have an "affirmative defense" in court that the law is not objectively reasonable. Moreover, a homeless person or people can sue to challenge the objective reasonableness of a city or county law in the county circuit court, "Reasonableness shall be determined based on the totality of the circumstances, including, but not limited to, the impact of the law on persons experiencing homelessness," the bill states. HB 3115 passed the House in a 36-22 vote, and now moves to the Oregon Senate for consideration. Pennsylvania announced Thursday that it has protected 2,370 acres on 26 farms in 16 counties through the states nation-leading Farmland Preservation Program. Since 1988, the program has purchased permanent conservation easements on 5,869 Pennsylvania farms, covering 596,827 acres, in 59 counties, ensuring they will remain farms in the future, according to a press release. Farmland is essential for food production. As the population grows, farmers must produce more food. Yet, each year, fertile farm acres are lost to development. Once farmland goes out of production, it rarely comes back, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said in the release. Thats why preserving farmland it so important. Farmland preservation is an investment in the future, promising tomorrows generations a resilient agriculture industry with ample ground to grow food. By selling their lands development value, landowners preserve their farms, protecting the land from future residential, commercial or industrial development. The commonwealth partners with counties to purchase the development value, ensuring a strong future for farming and food security in Pennsylvania, the release said. The 26 farms preserved Thursday are in Adams, Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lehigh, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northampton, Westmoreland, and York counties. These farms include crop and livestock operations, the release said, adding that the notable farms preserved Thursday include: The Lobaugh Farm, a 27.49-acre crop farm, which supports the larger Ber-Crk Farms dairy operation. This small but productive Adams County tract provides valuable hay and corn for feed. The property is located in the strong farming community of Huntingdon Township, with over 2,000 acres preserved. The Ambrose Farm, a 135.15-acre bicentennial crop farm located in Westmoreland County, is the first farm preserved through the state program in Cooke Township. Several neighboring farms were preserved by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to land conservation. The Feusner Farm, a 343.99-acre beef operation located in Bradford County. The farm borders a picturesque lake used for recreation and has significant road frontage, making it a target for residential development pressures. The family is committed to conservation and wants to see the farm protected for future generations. Farms preserved and dollars invested, by county: Adams County Total investment $25,680 state; $358,574 county. The Vincent, Jennifer, Dean and Michelle Lobaugh farm, a 27-acre crop operation The Diane G. and Ronald I. Resh farm, a 130-acre crop operation. Berks County Total investment $165,310.06 state; $65,550 county. The Lawrence W. and Marlene B. Burkholder farm, an 87-acre crop and livestock operation. Bradford County Total investment $313,890 state; $40,000 county. The Donald D. and Donna L. Feusner farm, a 344-acre crop and livestock operation. Carbon County Total investment $292,715 state; $49,548 county. The Donald L. and Brenda A. Rex farm, a 99-acre crop operation. Chester County Total investment $6,575 state; $134,545 county. The Jonas B. Jr. and Deborah Ann Stolzfus farm, a 31-acre crop operation. Cumberland County Total investment $772,089 state; $172,735 county. The Jonathan W. Bream farm, a 24-acre crop operation. The Donald E. Deckman Living Trust farm, a 137-acre crop operation. The Winifred Carol Williams farm, a 92-acre crop operation. Dauphin County Total investment $281,550 state. The Eli L. and Sadie M. King farm, a 93-acre crop and livestock operation. The Kenneth Jr., Julia and Charles Staver farm, a 95-acre crop and livestock operation. Franklin County Total investment $551,068 state. The Wayne A. and Jackie M. Diehl farm, a 137-acre crop operation. The Dennis W. and Barbara S. Peckman farm, a 103-acre crop operation. Juniata County Total investment $61,760 state. Supplee Brothers Farm LLC #1, a 56-acre crop operation. Lancaster County Total investment of $203,544 state. The Rodney M. and Teresa K. Heisey farm, a 50-acre crop operation. Lehigh County Total investment of $476,891 state. The Linda S. Gruber farm, a 45-acre crop and livestock operation. Prange Real Estate Holdings LLC, an 18-acre crop and livestock operation. The Nancy L. Trabin, Barbara J. Ginsburg and Mathias J. Green III farm, a 41-acre crop operation. Lycoming County Total investment of $206,740 state; $22,542 county. The Charles E. and Sandra O. Kitzmiller farm #2, a 180-acre crop operation. Mifflin County Total investment $128,492 state; $50,758 county. The Melvin R. and Judy L. Peachey farm #1, a 130-acre crop and livestock operation. Northampton County Total investment of $203,591 state; $139,490 county. The Jason and Melanie R. Kocher farm, a 26-acre crop operation. The Jeffery Poliskiewicz farm, a 37-acre crop operation. Westmoreland County Total investment $229,090 state; $341,426 county. The Robert E., Sally J., Stephen P., and Kenneth N. Ambrose farm, a 135-acre crop operation. The Linda J. Guyer and Dana A. Miller farm, a 69-acre crop and livestock operation. York County total investment of $549,396 state. The Kevin N., Martha J., Christopher L., and Jeri H. Miller farm #2, a 131-acre crop farm. The Frank A. Wickes Jr. farm #3, a 54-acre crop operation. Scott Morrison says Australias net zero carbon emissions by 2050 target wont be at the expense of jobs or big earnings on his first ever visit to the nations engine room in the Pilbara. The Prime Minister told a business breakfast event in Karratha on Friday he wanted to make sure the country met its commitments and heavy industries grew stronger. I want to see Australia achieve net zero and to do that as soon as we possibly can and preferably by 2050, Mr Morrison said. But what I have to be able to do, and what we have to be able to do, in meeting that challenge is demonstrate how we can do that and ensure that the heavy industry, heavy industries that exist in our country are part of that solution. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's leading disease and infectious expert argued on Thursday with a Republican lawmaker when the COVID-19 restrictions could be lifted. According to a recently published article on ABC News, Fauci said that this could only happen if the infection rate will be under 10,000 cases a day. Fauci Explains When COVID-19 Restrictions can be Lifted An exchange of words between Fauci and Republican lawmaker Jim Jordan happened during the congressional hearing when the latter asked Fauci when the Americans could have their normal or pre-pandemic lives back. Besides citing the number of cases a day as a response, Fauci also said that there is still a lot of work to do before it could happen. But the Republican lawmaker was not satisfied with Fauci's answer and demanded a clearer explanation, according to Everett Post. Dr. Fauci Gives List of Places To Avoid, Less Chance of Contracting COVID-19 Fauci's Argument With Jordan Jordan asked, "What is low enough? Give me a number," citing the number of church attendees as an example. Fauci replied, "That would be that the number of infections per day are well below 10,000 per day." The country's leading disease and infectious expert also added that "At that point, there would be a gradual pulling back of some of the restrictions you're talking about." The argument, however, further escalated when Fauci accused Jordan of ranting. In a recently published article on Yahoo News, Fauci told Jordan "I think you're making this a personal thing, and it isn't," to which Jordan responded that what he asked was not personal. Fauci then shot back, "No, you are! That is exactly what you're doing. We're not talking about liberties. We're talking about a pandemic that has killed 562,000 Americans." Fauci seemed frustrated with how Jordan asked him when people could return to their pre-pandemic lives. Dr. Fauci: This Is When You Can Throw Your Mask Away COVID-19 Cases in the U.S. The United States remains to have the highest number of infections in the world. The weekly average COVID-19 cases in the country remain around 67,000, which is 6 percent higher in the last seven days, according to the data of the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director, sounded the alarm also last month as the number of COVID-19 cases across the country started to increase again. It happened after states began to lift the restrictions as the vaccinations were underway. The CDC director said during the White House briefing, "I'm going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom. We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are, and so much reason for hope. But right now, I'm scared." As of this time, only 20 percent of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated. Many U.S. health experts remained cautious in the call to ease the restrictions as the number of COVID-19 cases increased while the vaccination rate remains slow. @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal The clamor for COVID-19 vaccines in New Mexico doesnt seem to be abating, with more than 107,000 doses administered in the past seven days. But here and nationally, public health officials are assessing how to get shots in the arms of those who arent so eager. U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., said Thursday that ensuring the public has clear and transparent information about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines is key to getting more vaccine uptake across the country. Unfortunately, in too many places, we are struggling to provide trusted evidence-based information, creating a void. Misinformation and disinformation rushes to fill this gap, said Lujan, who chaired a two-hour hearing of his Senate subcommittee on communications, media and broadband. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Lujan cited one survey that found over 3 million Americans werent sure if they would receive the vaccine due to fears of how much it would cost. Theyre worried about the cost of a free vaccine. Reaching every single American who can safely get a vaccine is critical to defeating this virus, Lujan said at the hearing broadcast remotely from Washington, D.C. New Mexico Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins testified that the state is trying various avenues, including virtual town halls, to reach those people who are still not vaccinated, and still unregistered with the state online portal that shows vaccination appointment opportunities. Nearly 914,000 New Mexicans have received at least one dose, leaving an estimated 766,000 residents identified as 16 or older still unvaccinated as of Thursdays DOH data. The DOH estimates the total number of New Mexicans eligible to get a vaccine at 1.68 million. Of those, more than half have registered with the state to receive a vaccination, but about 48%, or more than 800,000 residents, are unregistered. Collins, in fielding questions from the subcommittee, said New Mexico DOH has expanded its communications department, and has a joint information center with an outreach team that keeps close tabs on rumors, misinformation and other vaccine communications challenges. A team then designs communications materials to address those issues, she added. But many of our best communications efforts dont involve state employees. Instead, they involve the voices of New Mexicans from across the state, Collins said. She referred to the DOH Trusted Voices campaign, which is a series of YouTube videos featuring New Mexicans discussing the vaccine. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said that, as the availability of the vaccine has increased, now weve got people who are resistant to get it into their arms. He said that is especially true in rural areas. Are you able to track the vaccine refusal rates across your state? Tester asked Collins. We are definitely using our dashboards to track how many people are getting registered, she replied, and were working closely with community leaders to understand whats behind anyone who is refusing or not interested in the vaccine. Tester asked what kind of adjustments New Mexico is making to try to make inroads to folks who say, We dont want to do that. We want to understand why, Collins replied. Weve had surveys that have been distributed to certain communities and we are working with interfaith agencies. We need to find that role model to communicate with those various sectors. In New Mexico, one of the counties that has achieved a low test positivity rate and low new case count is Lea County. The southeastern New Mexico county is among 20 statewide with a turquoise designation requiring the least amount of restrictions on business activity during the pandemic. But the state dashboard shows far more Lea County residents have been vaccinated than have registered with the state for a vaccine. Less than 13% of residents have registered compared with 35% who have received at least one dose. About 28% are fully vaccinated. It isnt clear how many Lea County residents have traveled to nearby Texas to get a vaccine. Tester told his fellow senators that getting the vaccine takes a tremendous load off your shoulders. But if youre still required to live the same lifestyle after you take the vaccine as you did before, thats a real negative in some peoples eyes, he said. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., told the subcommittee she was concerned that rumors and misinformation fueled by social media and the internet are keeping people from signing up for shots. She recalled a constituent telling her his mother-in-law canceled her appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine because she read on the internet there would be a tracker planted in her arm when she got the shot. Klobuchar cited the congressional testimony of a physician earlier this week who stated that 73% of vaccine disinformation posts on Facebook and 17% of such posts on Twitter originate from the same 12 sources. Im just picturing these 12 people out there pumping out lies, she added. Lujan said misinformation can easily undermine the public trust. By now, we know that vaccines work, over 120 million Americans have been vaccinated and the end is in sight. But he decried statements by major media outlets that undermine our effort to get back to normal. For instance, Lujan took issue with Fox News host Tucker Carlson stating this week on his show, Maybe the vaccine doesnt work and theyre simply not telling you. Carlson questioned why national health experts want vaccinated people to continue to take safety precautions, such as social distancing and mask wearing in certain circumstances. Does airing a statement like that bring us closer to defeating the virus and getting back to our lives? Lujan said. Enough with this nonsense. And anyone else that is out there spreading this misinformation. Stop! Youre hurting people and youre costing people their lives. Meanwhile, the latest daily COVID-19 count in New Mexico remained above 200 on Thursday, with the DOH reporting 230 new cases, nearly a third of them from Bernalillo County. One additional COVID-19 death was reported, bringing the state total to 3,997. The Centre on Friday advised Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh to increase the number of isolation, oxygen and ICU beds, ambulance fleet and focus on mortality reduction by early detection of COVID-19 cases and adherence to national treatment protocol. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhall, who along with Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired high-level meetings to review the status of COVID-19 in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, stressed on prohibiting unnecessary travel and crowding in public places through strict and effective enforcement. Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, along with Maharashtra, are the only states in the country which have over 1 lakh active cases. Both Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh are reporting very high number of daily new COVID-19 cases and deaths, the health ministry said in a statement. Chhattisgarh has reported nearly 6.2 per cent increase in weekly new cases based on a seven-day moving average. "In the last two weeks, the state has seen almost 131 per cent increase in weekly new cases. A total of 22 districts in Chhattisgarh have crossed their reported highest cases in the last 30 days; Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon and Bilaspur are the most affected districts. "In contrast to the week 17th-23rd March 2021, in the week of 7th-13th April 2021, RT-PCR tests have decreased to 28 per cent (from 34 per cent) while the antigen tests have increased to 62 per cent (from 53 per cent)," the ministry said. Uttar Pradesh has reported a growth rate of 19.25 per cent in daily new cases. A total of 46 districts in Uttar Pradesh have crossed their reported highest cases in the last 30 days; Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi and Allahabad are the most affected districts. In contrast to the week March 17-23, in the week of April 7-13, RT-PCR tests have decreased to 46 per cent (from 48 per cent) while antigen tests have increased to 53 per cent (from 51 per cent), it said. The reported shortage of hospital infrastructure such as ICU and oxygen-supported hospitals beds, resulting in difficulty to the public in easily accessing critical healthcare services were discussed comprehensively, requiring an urgent ramping up of hospital infrastructure. The states were advised to increase the number of isolation, oxygen and ventilators/ICU beds, ambulance fleet as per requirement; plan for adequate oxygen supply; and focus on mortality reduction by early identification of COVID cases and adherence to national treatment protocol, the statement stated. Prohibiting unnecessary travel and crowding in public places through strict and effective enforcement was also stressed. The Union health secretary informed that the states' demand for oxygen cylinders including 10 litre cylinders and 45 litre jumbo cylinders), and request for additional ventilators (having high flow nasal canula) will be met very soon, it said. The Union government has mapped the manufacturing sources of oxygen with 12 states reporting the highest number of daily new cases. States have been advised to increase dedicated COVID-19 beds and use the available buildings in the hospital campus (including AIIMS) for creation of additional COVID-19 dedicated wards. The states were also advised to make use of the hospitals of Union ministries and PSUs for treating COVID-19 patients. The Union health secretary further informed that the health ministry is informing states everyday in the morning of the day's supply of COVID vaccines to the states, to enable better planning for optimum utilisation of vaccines. An augmented health workforce would be needed in the coming days for contact tracing and house-to-house survey for symptomatic patients. The states were advised deployment of volunteers of NSS, NYK, women self-help groups (SHGs), and hiring retired doctors/paramedics, on contracts under the National Health Mission (NHM) funds, the statement said. Director General ICMR Balram Bhargava recommended setting up of more testing labs, including mobile labs. He also advised for keeping a vigil and ramping up of testing on a continuous basis in districts showing over 5 per cent positivity rate. After a comprehensive review, the five-fold strategy for tackling the recent surge was re-emphasised. As part of the strategy, the states have been asked to significantly increase testing in all districts with a minimum of 70 per cent RT-PCR tests and use Rapid Antigen Tests as screening tests in densely populated areas as well as areas where fresh clusters are emerging. They have been asked to ramp up effective and timely tracing, containment and surveillance activities to curb the chain of transmission, and strict implementation of containment measures, besides, time-bound plan of 100 per cent vaccination of eligible population groups, especially in the high focus districts. The states have asked to effectively follow the protocol of clinical care, treatment and supported home/facility care and strict and effective enforcement of COVID safe behaviour, including strict limitation of unnecessary movement of people and crowds. (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.) Allies of the Indian government are working to pressure the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to reverse its recommendation that the State Department label India as a country of particular concern for religious freedom violations, an activist warns. John Prabhudoss, the chairman of the Washington, D.C.-based Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations, spoke at a panel event Wednesday to discuss Indias Designation as CPC hosted by International Christian Concern. The panel discussed the state of religious freedom in India and the need for the State Department to designate the worlds second-largest nation as a country of particular concern for engaging in or tolerating religious freedom violations. In recent years, Christians in India have faced escalating persecution that has seemingly coincided with the rise to power of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. The country is ranked by Open Doors USA as the 10th-worst in the world regarding the severity of Christian persecution. Source:The Christian Post A man accused of dealing heroin and crack in the Easton area was arrested after traveling to Philly in an Uber to pick up drugs, city police said. Jason Kuehner, of Lower Mount Bethel Township, was arrested Thursday afternoon after his trip, and charged with felony counts of possession of heroin and crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, police said. The 38-year-old Kuehner was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of 10% of $50,000 bail, where he remained as of Friday afternoon. Easton police said they learned Kuehner was dealing drugs in the Easton area, and had a confidential source make a controlled purchase of heroin earlier this month from Kuehner. Investigators said they learned Kuehner was going to be traveling to Philadelphia to pick up drugs for resale. On Thursday, officers saw Kuehner leave his house in a black Honda Civic, and several hours later he returned in the same car. Police stopped Kuehner outside his home, where he reportedly told officers he had heroin and crack he had just picked up in Philadelphia. Police found the drugs and a cellphone they say was used in the earlier controlled drug buy. Police said Kuehner took an Uber for the trip, but that the Uber driver wasnt involved in the drug dealing business. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. NEW DELHI (PTI): Space agencies of India and France on Thursday signed an agreement for cooperation for New Delhi's first human space mission, Gaganyaan, a move that will enable Indian flight physicians to train at French facilities. French space agency CNES said under the agreement, equipment developed by it, tested and still operating aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will be made available to Indian crews. The CNES will also be supplying fireproof carry bags made in France to shield equipment from shocks and radiation, it said. The agreement was announced during French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's visit to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) headquarters in Bengaluru. ISRO has asked CNES to help prepare for the Gaganyaan mission and to serve as its single European contact in this domain, the French space agency said. "Under the terms of the agreement, CNES will train India's flight physicians and CAPCOM mission control teams in France at the CADMOS centre for the development of microgravity applications and space operations at CNES in Toulouse and at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany," the CNES said. The training of astronauts is a critical aspect of the human space mission project. Flight physicians or surgeons are responsible for astronaut's health before, during and after the flight. Currently, all space physicians are from the Indian Air Force. France has a well-established mechanism for space medicine. It also has the MEDES space clinic, a subsidiary of CNES, where space surgeons undergo training. The agreement provides for CNES to support the implementation of a scientific experiment plan on validation missions, exchange information on food packaging and the nutrition programme, and above all, the use of French equipment, consumables and medical instruments by Indian astronauts. "This cooperation could be extended in the future to parabolic flights operated by Novespace to test instruments and for astronaut training, as well as technical support for the construction of an astronaut training centre in Bangalore," the CNES said. The Gaganyaan orbital spacecraft project was kicked off in August 2018. It originally intended to send astronauts from India to mark the 75th anniversary of the country's independence in 2022. However, the mission has been delayed due to the restrictions imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic. ISRO is targeting the first unmanned mission under the Gaganyaan project in December. This launch was to take place in December last year. This mission will be followed by another unmanned mission. The third leg is the main module. France and India share robust ties in the area of space cooperation. The first space agreement between France and India dates back to 1964. Existing partnerships between the two nations cover almost all areas of space activity. ISRO will also be launching the joint Oceansat 3-Argos mission this year. In March 2018, India and France had unveiled a joint vision for space cooperation. The two nations have also agreed to work on inter-planetary missions to Mars and Venus. India has already signed an agreement with Russia for the training of four astronauts who have been shortlisted for the Gaganyaan mission. Additionally, it is also in talks with Australia to have a ground station at the Cocos Islands for the Gaganyaan mission. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global agricultural adjuvants market size is projected to reach USD 4.4 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2020. The growth of the agricultural adjuvants market is driven by factors such as the growing demand for agrochemicals and the adoption of protected agriculture technologies. COVID-19 Impact on the Global Agricultural Adjuvants Market The FAO has acknowledged that the spread of COVID- 19 pandemic is subsiding in a few countries and regions of the world. Still, it is also resurging or spreading quickly in some other countries such as Korea, Brazil, and India. This outbreak has affected significant elements of both food supply and demand. Border closures, quarantines, market supply chains, and trade disruptions have restricted peoples access to sufficient and nutritious sources of food, especially in countries hit hard by the virus. However, as the governments on a global level shut down borders and economies for restricting the spread of the coronavirus, the businesses observed major impacts on their international trades. Many markets are focusing on fulfilling their requirements for fertilizers, pesticides, and adjuvants by domestic companies. This is, however, causing an imbalance between the demand and supply quantities. However, some regions are completely dependent on imports and are facing tough situations. Adjuvants are majorly dependent on raw materials such as vegetable oils and petroleum for their production. Gradually the rise in the prices of these commodities has resulted in higher adjuvant prices. All these factors hampered the potential growth of the market at the beginning of 2020. 1. In April 2020, Corteva entered into a joint venture with the MercyOne Healthcare Organisation in order to meet the urgent need for the processing of COVID-19 samples with an initial focus on Iow area. 2. In April 2020, Solvay entered into a partnership with Boeing, who is a face shield manufacturer, wherein the company would supply high-performance, medical-grade transparent film. The strategy was a response to the rising demands for personal protective equipment amongst healthcare professionals. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1240 By the adoption stage, the tank-mix segment is projected to dominate the market during the forecast period. Tank mix adjuvants are added to the farmers tank together with the pesticide for improving the performance of the active ingredients, along with mitigating the negative effects such as drift and bouncing. Tank mix adjuvants are added to the pesticides on the field by the crop growers before applying them over the crops. Tank mix adjuvants help in increasing the overall performance of the plant protection products. Adjuvants that are tank-mixed are mostly added to affect the efficacy of pesticides and are defined by the direct effect that they have on the crop-pesticide interaction. The cereals & grains segment, by crop type, is estimated to account for the largest market share, by value, in 2020 Cereals & grains accounted for the largest consumption of herbicides in North America and Asia Pacific, owing to the high cultivation of corn and wheat in countries such as the US and China. Adjuvants are added to the commercial formulae of herbicides to improve their efficacy by increasing the adhesion properties of herbicides to the leaf surface, as well as aiding transport across the waxy cuticle membrane and into the plant. Adjuvants used in herbicide treatment solutions for cereals & grains aim to improve spray droplet retention and penetration of active ingredients into the plant foliage. Thus, the cereals and grains segment is estimated to be the most popular crop type in the agricultural adjuvants market. Make an Inquiry: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=1240 Asia Pacific is projected to grow at the highest CAGR% during the forecast period The market for agricultural adjuvants in the Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2026, owing to the increasing investments by key players in countries such as China, India, and Thailand, and also the rising adoption of adjuvant technology by the crop growers for insecticide applications. Due to these factors, the market in the Asia Pacific region is projected to record the highest growth from 2020 to 2026. This report includes a study on the marketing and development strategies, along with a study on the product portfolios of the leading companies operating in the agricultural adjuvants market. It includes the profiles of leading companies such as this market include Miller Chemical and Fertilizer, LLC (US), Precision Laboratories (US), CHS Inc (US), WinField United (US), Kalo Inc. (US), Nouryon (Netherlands), Corteva (US), Evonik Industries (Germany), Nufarm (Australia), Croda International (UK), Solvay (Belgium), BASF (Germany), Huntsman Corporation (US), Clariant (US), Helena Agri-Enterprises (US), Stepan Company (US), Wilbur-Ellis Company (US), Brandt (US), Plant Health Technologies (US), Innvictis Crop Care (US), Interagro (UK), Lamberti S.P.A (US), Drexel Chemical Company (US), GarrCo Products Inc. (US), and Loveland Products Inc. (US). Mundys experience was not a one off. Over the past year, at least five British book prizes have been targeted by the same swindle and one has even paid out. In March 2020, the Rathbones Folio Prize paid 30,000, about $41,000, to a scammer posing as the author Valeria Luiselli, who had just won the award for her novel Lost Children Archive. The fraud was reported earlier this week by The Bookseller, a trade journal. The prizes organizers had to find another 30,000 to pay Luiselli, and the lost funds were absorbed by cost savings elsewhere, Minna Fry, the prizes executive director, said in a statement. Luiselli didnt respond to a request for comment. The scammer does not appear to have targeted prizes outside Britain. The National Book Awards and five other American literary prizes all said they had not been contacted. The Stockholm-based Nobel Institute, which oversees the Nobel Prize in Literature, had not been approached, either, a spokeswoman said. Susan Swan, a novelist who helped found the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, a North American award, said in an email that Literary phishing is a diabolical cybercrime, because most of us expect fraudsters to be working elsewhere, not reading about books. She added: Well solve the problem by issuing checks to our winners, and avoid online payments. And its not just literary prizes that have been targets for con artists. Over the past few years, agents, editors and authors have received fraudulent emails asking them to hand over unpublished manuscripts, ranging from blockbuster novels by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Ian McEwan, to short story collections. The motive for these rackets is unclear, as the manuscripts that were successfully acquired dont appear to have ended up on the black market, and no ransoms were demanded. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick vowed Friday to lead an effort to obtain a large chunk of state funding to honor the historic Alamo mission and battle site with a new museum and plaza makeover a $450 million project. Patrick spoke at the unveiling of a temporary exhibit in the plaza. He said the city and state have spent or committed $150 million for the Alamo project, and an additional $200 million to $300 million is needed to complete it. The nonprofit Alamo Endowment may raise a portion of the funding from private sources. Well lead the fight to get the other funding. Ive seen the new plan. I love the plan. San Antonios going to love the plan. Texas will love the plan. America will love the plan, Patrick said in remarks to about 200 people at the event. On ExpressNews.com: City Council approves updated Alamo plan in 10-1 vote The City Council approved an amended lease for the plaza with the Texas General Land Office on Thursday in support of an updated plan that seeks to soothe controversies that have hindered the Alamo project. The new plan calls for repairing the Cenotaph but not moving it; maintaining pedestrian access in the plaza; marking the location of the mission-fort with surface pavers, rather than lowering the plaza 16 inches; and phasing in street closures. It also ensures preservation of two state-owned historic structures: the 1882 Crockett Building and 1921 Woolworth Building, on the west side of the plaza. I believe the Republicans and Democrats in the state Legislature will be stepping up to the plate to help fund a large portion of this great site, Patrick said. Patrick is an avowed lifelong Alamo devotee whose enchantment with the 1836 siege and battle began while watching television shows and movies starring Fess Parker or John Wayne as Davy Crockett, the forts most well-known defender. Patrick was vehemently opposed to moving the Cenotaph, which was proposed in a previous version of the project. Now, he believes theres enough common ground between his ideas and those who have a more diverse interpretation of the sites 300 years of recorded history to collaborate on the project. I think were all in sync. We may not agree 100 percent, but I think were all on the same page. I think today is the true liftoff day to get this project truly started and finish, so all Texans can come and see the history of this great place in the near future, Patrick said. After the event, Patrick credited Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran with navigating the politics of the project. Patrick envisions a budget rider being passed in the current legislative session or the fall, when the Legislature is expected to hold a special session for redistricting because census data wont be ready until late in the summer. Patrick said the private sector will play an important role in fundraising for the Alamo. But it would slow down the project if we had to depend on raising two- or three-hundred million. Thats a lot of money to raise, he said. Marvin Pfeiffer /Staff Photographer Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, who had sparred with Patrick in the past over the project before the two announced a reconciliation last month, sat beside the lieutenant governor and praised his passion for the Alamo. Theres nobody in the State Capitol that cares more about Texas history, that cares more about this holy shrine that we honor today, than Dan Patrick, Bush said, describing great progress here on the grounds of the Alamo. For the first time since 1836, the battlefield is united because of our partnership with the city of San Antonio, he added. The new, temporary outdoor exhibit replicates a significant moment in 1836. It features the cannon station where an 18-pounder was fired at the start of the 13-day siege and the Losoya House, boyhood home of one of the garrisons fallen defenders and an important link to the sites early use as San Antonios first permanent Spanish-Indigenous mission. Courtesy / Alamo Trust Research by the Alamo Trust recently revealed that the famed 18-pounder now is believed to have been made in Sweden, not England, and was originally a nine-pounder adapted to fire heavier rounds. On ExpressNews.com: Research reveals surprises about Alamos 18-pounder cannon The Losoya House sat below the cannon platform. Historians described it as an old Coahuiltecan Indian dwelling deeded to the Losoya-Charle family when Mission San Antonio de Valero was secularized and turned into a Spanish military fort known as El Alamo. Ventura Losoya and Concepcion de Los Angeles Charle had a son, Jose Toribio Losoya, who was born at the Alamo in 1808. He served in the Texian army and was killed in the battle. Marvin Pfeiffer /Staff Photographer Viagran, a descendant of the Losoyas and Indigenous people of the missions, unveiled a mural depicting the mission in the 1700s. She referenced her Tejano ancestor who gave his life defending this area the only home that he knew. Though Jose Toribio Losoya died in the battle, his mother, brother and sister survived. This hallowed ground here, where we stand and below, tells so many stories of the community, of the state of Texas and of the Americas. This story, for me, is personal. And the Alamo represents a place of my family. There is where my story is rooted and established, said Viagran, who serves on two committees guiding the project. Annette Tynan, another Losoya descendant who attended the unveiling, was glad to see the mural of her ancestors home. But she was disappointed to see a photo below the mural of a family standing in front of a ramshackle house that she said could be misconstrued by visitors as being the Losoyas. She felt that part of the exhibit was put together hastily and with little research. I just want them to remove that image. They need to take more care when theyre doing stuff like this, Tynan said. I would love to help them. Other than the photo, Tynan said she was satisfied with the exhibit. It was wonderful. Anything like that is good for the Alamo. I find it an honor that were included in being a part of the history of San Antonio finally, she said. It was just that photo that was shocking. Alamo Trust officials have said the exhibit will remain in the plaza at least through October 2022. A permanent display is planned for the future, as design work on the Alamo project continues this summer. City officials have said a new design for the plaza could be released for public comment and review in the fall, with extensive construction starting next year. Other possible concepts for the plaza include the second story of the Long Barrack that once housed the first hospital in Texas; wooden palisades by the Alamo church that were defended by Davy Crockett and other Tennessee riflemen; and the south wall and main gate of the fort. The exhibit was designed by SRO Associates and built by Clark-Guido Construction. It will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The carriage and cannon replica, made by Hansen Wheel & Wagon and Verdin, weigh a combined 5,000 pounds. shuddleston@express-news.net Updated 1:03 p.m. on April 19, 2021: This story has been updated to reflect new information about a criminal investigation from the Boise Police Department. Editors note: The following article includes some graphic details of the alleged conduct. A legislative ethics committee has unanimously ruled that there was probable cause in a complaint of inappropriate sexual conduct by a Lewiston lawmaker in March, according to documents released by the Idaho House of Representatives. The House Ethics and House Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on the complaint against Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, wrote Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, the panels chair. Von Ehlinger denied the allegation in a news release. The accusation was first reported by The Lewiston Tribune on Friday morning after von Ehlinger sent the news release acknowledging that he faced an accusation of unconsented sexual contact from an adult volunteer on the legislative staff. Von Ehlinger didnt immediately return requests for comment Friday. The legislative staffer reported the alleged incident first to Assistant Sergeant at Arms Kim Blackburn, who reported it to the Boise Police Department for a criminal investigation. Documents redacted the staffers identity and title but said she developed a relationship with Blackburn in January 2020. Blackburn, in a written statement to police, described the staffer as clearly upset when they spoke privately on the morning of March 11. I said, You must want me to help you or you wouldnt have come to me and told me of this encounter, Blackburn wrote in her statement that same day. She told me that she was afraid to be around him. The staffer told Blackburn that von Ehlinger began by being nice to her at work. He would bring her lunch and help pay to fill up her car with gas, she said. She told Blackburn that after she met him in downtown Boise on the night of March 10, von Ehlinger took her to dinner and then his apartment. Story continues She told Blackburn that von Ehlinger orally penetrated her despite her having said no, according to the written statement provided to police. She said she was afraid to be around him and noted that he has a gun. Blackburn asked whether she wanted her to report the alleged incident, and she said yes. Blackburn immediately informed House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, according to her written statement. The Idaho Attorney Generals Office interviewed Blackburn, concluded that the incident could have violated the Houses respectful workplace guidelines and referred the matter to police for a criminal investigation. Haley Williams, spokesperson for the Boise Police Department, on Monday said police have an open investigation into the allegations. The ethics complaint had said the criminal investigation would not move forward upon request of a person whose identity was redacted. House Republican leaders were briefed about the allegations on March 12. The AGs office advised not to take action then to prevent interference with the criminal investigation, should one move forward. House Republican leaders delivered an ethics complaint over the allegation to Dixon on March 17. The ethics committed found probable cause on Thursday. In the ethics complaint, House Republicans said von Ehlinger allegedly used his position as a member of the House of Representatives to initiate a sexual encounter. They wrote that the woman felt she could not refuse because of the power differential between von Ehlinger and her. This episode is an embarrassment to me, but I assure my constituents in Nez Perce and Lewis counties that I have not broken any laws or legislative rules, nor have I violated the concepts of appropriate social conduct, von Ehlinger said in his release. Von Ehlinger, 38, was first appointed to his House seat in June 2020 by Gov. Brad Little after the death of Rep. Thyra Stevenson. Von Ehlinger then won the seat in an uncontested November election. The allegations presented to the House Ethics Committee are serious and alarming, Little said in a statement. In the interest of protecting the independence of the process and rights of the involved parties, the governors office will not provide additional comments at this time. Under House rules, four-fifths of the Ethics Committees five members can recommend to reprimand or expel a House member. The recommendation must be made within 30 days of a public hearing or else the complaint will be considered dismissed. If the committee recommends ousting the House member, two-thirds of the House would need to vote in favor of the expulsion. The House Republican Caucus said in a statement that leaders take these allegations very seriously and want to respect the committees process. We believe in this transparent and fair course of action, and we are looking forward to seeing it through to the end, the caucus said in a joint statement. Ethics is much more than a word to us; it is a commitment to the people of Idaho that we are determined to keep. We will not tolerate harassment of any kind toward our members, staff or visitors in the Idaho Statehouse. JACKSON, MI For more than two decades, a caped crime-fighter could be seen throughout Jackson keeping an eye out for suspicious criminal activity and capturing the attention of residents and visitors alike. But the city is once again without a masked defender. Captain Jackson, known in his personal life as Thomas Frankini, died Monday, April 12. He was 64. Captain Jackson first hit the streets of a struggling downtown Jackson in 1999. It started as a bit when calling into The Bart Hawley Show while it was on the radio. Soon after, he and his only child, Andrea Hart, who used the alias Crime Fighting Girl, began to patrol. He checked business doors to ensure they were locked, volunteered in community outreach, held doors open at the Michigan Theatre, helped neighborhood watches and reported suspicious activity to the police. No, he didnt have super powers, and he didnt call himself a superhero. He was a crime fighter, likening himself to a beat cop from his metro-Detroit childhood. He wanted to help bridge the gap between the community and police work. Ive always been a contributor to society, he told the Jackson Citizen Patriot in 2013. I just want to make a difference. I started walking up and down the street and talking to business owners. One guy came up to me and said, I want to shake your hand. Its not like the police give a damn about us. I said, Wow. Im sold. Ive got to do this. My message has always been: Call the police. Thats what theyre there for. Much of his daughters life was shaped by the shared memories they created in their alter-egos, she said. They became a crime-fighting duo when she was 9. We did not tell people who we were none of my childhood friends knew who we were, Hart told MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot in her first interview in her given name. When we got in the car after going to an event or volunteering somewhere, we would take our masks off and act as though nothing had happened. We went about our lives. Crime Fighting Girl continued until she graduated from high school. The duo was joined for several years in the 2000s by Captain Jacksons long-time girlfriend, Queen of Hearts. With or without a partner, Captain Jackson patrolled multiple times a week on top of volunteer work, his daughter said. His work continued until 2020, but she suspects he would have continued for even longer, if he could have. His death came with little warning, but family was there with him, Hart said. Captain Jackson could be polarizing in the community. While many supported his work and enjoyed the mystery, others were skeptical of the idea of a real-life superhero. Hart recalled a time when the two were patrolling downtown in uniform they never called it a costume and a passerby yelled something derogatory at them. Instead of getting angry back, Captain Jackson smiled and waved. He told Crime Fighting Girl just because someone was rude doesnt mean you have the right to be rude back. That memory sticks in my mind I remember just looking up at him and being amazed that he was brave enough to handle the criticism of the outside world, she said. Criticism came to a head for Captain Jackson in 2005, when Frankini was arrested for drunken driving. The Jackson Citizen Patriot unmasked him, and he briefly considered retiring because of the pushback. But it didnt keep Captain Jackson off patrol for long, Hart said. She said she thinks the experience made him want to be a stronger role model and show others that he was still human. Superheroes most of the time are flawed, she said. Captain Jackson made him want to be this better version of himself. His notoriety caught the attention of media around the world. Captain Jackson was featured in a photography project on real-life superheroes by French photographer Pierre-Elie de Pibrac. He has also participated in an Australian filmmakers documentary and has been a guest on Dr. Drews Lifechangers, a nationally syndicated talk show. In his personal life, Frankini worked in metal manufacturing. He was a hands-on father that enjoyed reading and writing, liked the Adam West version of Batman and always made sure to include Hart throughout her life, she said. The ordinary man that he was when he wasnt dressed up in his cape and his mask, in his uniform, was pretty remarkable, Hart said. MORE JACKSON NEWS: Unaccompanied migrant children arrive in Albion, I-94 billboard criticizes congressman: Jackson headlines April 10-15 Take a peek inside the new Albert Kahn apartments in the former Citizen Patriot building 20-year-old entrepreneur opens her own salon: This is a dream come true The Adonis medical group of companies plans to open four branches in 2021, Group Development Director Vitaliy Hyrin has said. "Our plans for 2021 are the opening of four branches in Kyiv region: in Podil, in Sofiyivska Borschahivka, in Pozniaky residential areas and in Bucha. These will all be multidisciplinary clinics, although they will have their own specializations," he said in an interview with Interfax -Ukraine. Hyrin also said that Adonis plans to launch its own ambulance service by the end of 2021. "We want to create an ambulance service for four cars. We are developing the concept of a full-cycle clinic," he said. Adonis, a multidisciplinary medical center for adults and children, has been operating since 1997. Currently, Adonis has 10 branches in Kyiv city and the region, including a research laboratory and two maternity hospitals. Corazon Mining downhole EM identifies multiple nickel-copper sulphide conductors at Lynn Lake Project Corazon Mining Ltd's (ASX:CZN) first phase 2021 drilling campaign at Lynn Lake Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Sulphide Project in Manitoba Province, Canada, has intersected favourable host rocks and extensive indications of magmatic nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation. The company completed three holes for a total of 1,482 metres, resulting in a successful first-pass test of a new target area west of the Fraser Lake Complex (FLC). Drilling has also confirmed MobileMT's effectiveness in identifying areas most favourable for magmatic nickel-copper-cobalt sulphides at Lynn Lake. "Similar size to Lynn Lake mining centre" Corazon managing director Brett Smith said: "The aerial MobileMT geophysics identified a large area of conductance, previously not recognised as prospective for nickel-copper sulphides. "Our first round of drilling in this area intersected the right rocks and some good magmatic sulphides that enhances the potential of the target area. "Now, with the detailing of Downhole Electromagnetic Geophysical Survey (DHEM) conductors of a good size, that support the MobileMT interpretations, we have expectations that this large conductive trend to the west of the Fraser Lake Complex has the makings of a nickel-copper sulphide target area similar in size to the Lynn Lake mining centre." Advertisement William Wu, 28, has spent $50million on a property buying spree in Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs A multimillionaire millennial has gone on a $50million property buying spree in the space of only a year. Mayrin Group director William Wenhao Wu, 28, has bought a series of top-of-the-market properties in Sydney's ritzy eastern suburbs - including a six-bedroom $11.08million home in Bellevue Hill in February 2020. The luxurious property boasts a swimming pool and an open-deck terrace set across 1,168sqm of prime Sydney real estate. His business interests then in March spent $20million on a 1920s Vaucluse manor that last exchanged hands for $9.3million in 2015. In February, he also bought a home on Vaucluse Road for $7.4million - just months after shelling out $13million on another property in the leafy suburb. His mother Jing Wang is the managing director of Mayrin Group - a high-end Sydney-based, Chinese-backed property development firm - and herself recently acquired a $25million waterfront home on Carrara Road in Vaucluse. Living it up in the city: His property haul includes a six-bedroom $11.08million home bought in Bellevue Hill in February 2020 Pool party! The property boasts a swimming pool and an open-deck terrace set across 1,168sqm of prime Sydney real estate Stylish decor: The interior of the Bellevue Hill property is pictured. His business interests in March also spent $20million on a 1920s Vaucluse manor All the homes have been bought for the Wang family's use, Ray White Double Bay's principal Elliott Placks told Domain. The opulent Bellevue Hill home is set to be sold though after undergoing a renovation. The family's total spend in the past few years is close to $100million. In 2015, Wu's first Sydney home was a comparatively modest $2.39million one-bedroom home in Barangaroo. Wu became a director at Mayrin Group in December 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile. Before that he spent a year working as the assistant relationship manager at Bank of China International after working as a summer intern at the company. He graduated with a 3.75 grade point average from the University of Toronto in 2014. The opulent Bellevue Hill home's living room. By comparison, Wu's first Sydney home was a comparatively modest $2.39million one-bedroom home in Barangaroo Pictured: The 1920s Vaucluse manor acquired by Wu's business interests. The property last exchanged hands for $9.3million in 2015 In 2017, Mayrin Group spent $35million on an amalgamated residential site in Roseville in Sydney's upper north shore after property owners banded together to sell their homes. Wu said at the time he planned to build '40 prestigious townhouses' on the site. Mayrin Group's website said the company sells $482million worth of property each year mainly focused in residential communities and retail. At the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on business cooperation between Nordic enterprises operating in Hanoi and the possibility of establishing relations between Hanoi and the capitals of Nordic countries. Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the Hanoi municipal Peoples Committee Chu Ngoc Anh affirmed that Hanoi always welcomes Nordic businesses to explore its investment environment and expand upon business opportunities in the city. As a national political-administrative hub, a major centre of culture, science, education, economics and international transactions, Hanoi is aiming to become a green-smart-modern city by 2030, has said, adding that the city is also promoting technology, science and innovation; as well as addressing traffic, urban andmedical issues. The city encourages Nordic enterprises to expand their business in Hanoi in high-potential sectors such as investment-trade-tourism promotion, smart city, e-government, green technology, energy and sustainable development, technology transfer, labour cooperation, human resources development and cultural exchange. According to the Vice President of the Nordic Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam Quist Thomasen, Nordic companies are developing their strengths in areas such as Smart and Green cities, renewable energy and sustainable development. For his part, NordCham Vietnam Chairman Quist Thomasen said he hoped to understand the needs and vision of Hanoi city, while at the same time introducing experiences of Nordic countries to contribute to the overall development of Hanoi. [April 15, 2021] Australian property tech platform Archistar raises $6 million after record year of growth SINGAPORE, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian property intelligence platform Archistar has secured $6 million in funding to support the rapid growth of Archistar's expert teams and key partnerships internationally. The funding round was led by Skip Capital , a private investment fund that focuses on high growth technology companies and VC fund AirTree Ventures . AirTree doubled down on their investment as an existing shareholder of Archistar having led the company's Series A round in March last year. Since launching in 2018, Archistar has doubled revenue year on year and has won significant contracts with state governments. Archistar works with the Victorian government to demonstrate how planning approvals could be automated, and is adopted by the NSW Government to run simulations on housing forecast models. Archistar is used by many of Australia's leading property developers, including Stockland, Frasers and Simonds Homes. Founded by Dr. Benjamin Coorey, an Architect with a PhD in 3D generative building design, Archistar combines architectural design with artificial intelligence to inform decision-making in property. Used by Government, architects, planners, developers and agents, the software platform gives instant information on the highest and best use residential and commercial projects allowable on any development site in Australia based on local planning and zoning rules. It allows professionals to create and assess hundreds of compliant 3D generative designs, exploring features like height restrictions, exposure to sunlight and ventiltion. Dr. Benjamin Coorey said the investment would help further accelerate the company's expansion across key markets in the UK and US, whilst continuing to develop the groundbreaking eComply automatic development assessment technology. "Our vision has always been to transform the way cities are designed, assessed and built, and we're pleased to say that we are achieving this as more property professionals and governments are increasingly embracing our digital tools. Our highly scalable, world-first technology, is transforming the efficiency of every step in the property development journey for our partners," said Dr Coorey. "We've experienced incredible growth in the last twelve months, and with this additional funding, we anticipate that even more milestones will be hit in overseas markets. We're excited to see where this next growth chapter takes us," he added. Skip Capital founder Kim Jackson said she saw the investment as a great opportunity to invest in a company disrupting the property industry. "We are excited to work with Archistar. They are a phenomenal and passionate team, driven by the vision to simplify property development and design. Their innovative solutions have the power to transform the entire property industry globally. The team has created a central hub for property data, which is helping property professionals to more easily find sites matched to their needs. On top of this, Archistar is innovating with 3D generative design, and we believe the partnership with the Victoria State government to demonstrate how planning approval processes could be automated in certain geographies is extremely exciting, and a sign of the future," said Ms Jackson. Craig Blair, Co-founder and Partner at AirTree and Archistar board member, said Archistar was already changing the future of design. "It's been exciting to see Archistar continues Australia's proud tradition of world leading innovation in property and development. Ben and his team are reimagining the design, planning and approval process using Machine learning and we are thrilled to double down on our investment to support the next chapter of growth," said Mr. Blair. Archistar Chairman Prabhat Sethi said: "We're delighted to welcome yet another banner investor, in Skip Capital, to the register. This investment will underpin Archistar's expansion into the United States and United Kingdom, where the company will combine highly scalable, world-first technology with key partnerships to continue its rapid customer growth." Archistar has the most comprehensive planning rule database in Australia, offering an end-to-end solution for planning, design, feasibility and compliance in the one platform. The company continues to gain traction in the government sector and with leading home builders. Notable partners include the NSW Government, Victorian Government, Aurecon, Jacobs, Domain.com.au, Frasers, Stockland, Simonds Homes, and JLL. About Archistar: Founded by Dr. Benjamin Coorey, a global expert in 3D generative design, Archistar is the world's leading digital platform for the Property Industry. The platform combines architectural design with artificial intelligence to inform decision-making in property and is used by agents, developers, architects, government planners and homeowners nationwide. SOURCE Archistar [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi: The United Kingdom's Home Department has cleared the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, who is wanted in an over Rs 13,000-crore bank fraud case, officials said on Friday. He had allegedly perpetrated the fraud in the Punjab National Bank in collusion with his uncle Mehul Choksi. On February 25, a Westminster Magistrates' Court allowed Modi's extradition. The findings of the court were sent to the UK Home Department as per which it cleared the extradition. Modi is accused of committing a fraud of USD 2 billion (around Rs 14,500 crore) in the PNB. Live TV Shop London Welcome to the ES Shopping Shortlist, our drop of need-to-know newness for the month ahead April 1 may have been a day for tomfoolery and high jinxes (until noon, anyway) but when it comes to shopping over the rest of the month, were not messing around. Along with defrosting with the rest of the nation (sashay away, winter), this month sees outdoor dining reopening for most restaurants, bars and cafes across the land from April 12. Yes, socialising is back on the agenda, and that means ditching your stained trackie bottoms for something that can stay up without the help of elastic. Luckily there are plenty of fashion and clothing sales on at the minute to begin your transformation from troglodyte to traffic-stopping. From new homeware collections to modest fitnesswear and possibly the best summer job weve ever heard of, find out what April has in store for you below. Supermarket sweep at the Design Museum Bombay Sapphire/Design Museum The doors to Kensingtons Design Museum will be thrown open once again from April 21- 25 and one of the first things well see is bog roll. Not just any toilet paper, mind - this along with a selection of other staples (think coffee, kidney beans, porridge oats and passata) have been given packaging makeovers by ten up-and-coming artists. Conceived by Bombay Sapphire to show that creativity is in fact, essential, limited edition items from the shop will be available at the Design Museum and online at BombaySapphire.com with proceeds supporting the institutes Emerging Designer Access Fund. Consider it the one time stockpiling is positively encouraged. Celebrate beauty and blooms this Earth Day McQueens x Romilly Wilde The state of the planet has never been such a literally hot topic and Earth Day, on April 22, is the perfect chance to reflect on our personal efforts to protect the place we all call home. There are a few brands marking the day; first, luxury florist McQueens has partnered with ethical beauty brand Romilly Wilde to create a limited edition hand-tied bouquet made with seasonal and sustainable stems. Named Wilde Earth, its now on sale for 175 alongside a bespoke bundle of Romily Wilde skincare with a portion of sales going to conservation charity Cool Earth. Contact sales@mcqueensflowers.com to get your orders in. Earn your home decor stripes - H&M Home x DVF H&M Home Youd think after over a year indoors wed be done with our interiors, but if anything, were even more obsessed with fine-tuning our spaces. After all, our homes are our castles. Imagine then, our delight, upon news that H&M Home is collaborating with one of the boldest, baddest, brightest stars in the design sphere: Diane Von Furstenberg. Known for her iconic wrap dresses, the former wife of an actual German prince is on a mission to make our homes majestic in her trademark style - which includes plenty of zebra print. Poised to drop on April 16, the 31-piece collection includes wool blankets, cushion covers, trinket boxes, decorative trays, candles, espresso cups, small plates, vases, pots, posters and a robe. Love it, want it. Anything but plain at Sister Jane Sister Jane Sister Jane has dropped its latest collection, and the fashion label couldnt have timed it better for our re-emergence. Named Fifty-Three Rose Lane, there are midi frocks with frilled Peter Pan collars galore, prairie-style blouses, checked co-ords for trips back to the IRL office, and plenty of playful gingham to match your picnic blanket, because thats the kind of perfection we live for. The new collection drops April 14. Sweaty Betty has Muslim fitness fans covered Sweaty Betty If youve spent lockdown bending and stretching over small children and pets as you try to do a home workout, the good news is that with restrictions easing youll soon be able to get back into a proper studio - and when you do, it should be a more inclusive place, at least at Sweaty Betty. After more than a year in the making, the fitness pro has launched its first hijab specifically designed for training. Fashioned from breathable, sweat-wicking material, its simple, practical and hugely empowering, making fitness a more inclusive arena for all. We hope that this will facilitate an underrepresented group of women to compete at their optimal level of performance, said Chief Product Officer, Jemma Cassidy. Hear, hear. Blooms & booze Ronny Colbie Florist Ronny Colbie has joined forces with Lockdown Liquor this season to launch a collection of 11 UK-inspired bouquets (the Beaulieu above, is inspired by the New Forest) alongside a coterie of small batch blended cocktails, each destined to put pep in your step this spring. As well as fresh flowers, theres the Jurassic Coast arrangement, aptly created with preserved stems and petals. Meanwhile, drinks include Espresso Martini, Old Fashioned, Pepino, Picante and Tucci, all from 12.99 with national delivery. Mix and match bouquets and booze as the ultimate gift for April-born friends and family. Time to get Away AWAY As our worlds tentatively open up to the possibility of travel beyond our postcode, its time to start planning a summer of staycays. Do your long-awaited trip justice thanks to Aways fresh drop of travel accessories designed to keep you comfortable and looking slick as you head back into the big wide world. The summer job of actual dreams? Pink Marmalade Gin Golden days are coming. One way to make them infinitely better is by becoming craft gin brand Pink Marmaldes Gin GENIE A.K.A a gin-swilling guinea pig. Youll get involved with tastings, recipes, hanging with the small batch gang, and thats just the work part. As payment for your tremendously hard graft, the brand will pay you in juniper-spiked goodness: one 70cl bottle a month for an entire year! Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The mass shootings in Atlanta and Colorado in March again put a spotlight on gun violence in America and sparked renewed discussion about prevention policy. Despite a global pandemic, 2020 recorded the highest-ever number of civilian lives lost to firearms: Guns were used to kill almost 20,000 Americans by homicide, and 24,000 died in suicides by gun. On April 8, the Biden administration announced executive orders that will regulate "ghost guns" and stabilizers, encourage states to develop "red flag" laws, increase research on gun trafficking, and fund community violence intervention programs. "This should be the beginning of the conversation," says Dr. Jonathan Metzl, Vanderbilt University's Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and Medicine, Health, and Society, and director of the Department of Medicine, Health, and Society. "The Biden administration is promising more funding for gun research and investment in community-based solutions to gun trauma," Metzl says. "Both are vitally needed and have been underfunded and neglected for far too long. But the moment also calls for a new focus that brings more people to the table and promotes shared response and communal action that directly address the polarization and division surrounding the shared American trauma of gun injury and death." Jonathan Metzl. Credit: Vanderbilt University Metzl and two colleagues provide that focus in a new Social Science and Medicine article co-authored with Tara McKay, assistant professor in medicine, health, and society; and Jennifer Piemonte, a Ph.D. candidate in the joint program in psychology and women's studies at the University of Michigan. The authors challenge researchers to promote better solutions to the "structural drivers of America's gun violence," to renew attention to the mental health outcomes of gun trauma, to engage minoritized communities in more effective ways, and to develop methods that directly counter social and political divisions around guns. The authors outline a five-part agenda for the future of firearm research centered on addressing the root causes of gun violence and deeper focus on the socioeconomic factors and biases that produce inequitable outcomes. Titled "Structural Competency and the Future of Firearm Research," the paper highlights limitations to current research on firearms and details new types of data needed to break through the polarized U.S. gun debate. Currently available gun violence data consist of a patchwork of data collection efforts from individuals, nonprofit organizations or local governments, rather than a comprehensive, standardized, robust central database. The authors also take aim at racialized assumptions about gun violence and mental illness that arise after mass shootings. As the authors detail, white shooters are 19 times more likely than Black shooters to be described with a mental illness frame. In contrast, Black and Latinx shooters were described as violent or as threats to public safety, with the violent incidents characterized as "gang disputes," "drive-by shootings" or other forms of "urban" violenceoften with little further elaboration on motives or effects. "These binaries reinforce biases that white persons act via intellect, while minoritized aggressors are driven by embodied impulse" and "[limit] engagement with the deeper causes and effects of gun-related injury and death," the researchers state. The authors highlight the need for better strategies for engaging gun owners and gun sellers in research by better understanding what guns mean to them. This includes having a better understanding of the roles that guns play in peoples' daily lives and considering the meanings and values that people associate with gun ownership, such as heritage, gun culture, a sense of identity and/or a sense of personal protection. To obtain substantive support on any gun prevention policy, research needs to tell a bigger story that includes the perspective from the owners of the 95 percent of guns in America that are never fired, rather than focusing solely on shootings and deaths. "There is a very real question of, "What do these actions mean for research?'" Metzl said. "What kinds of community-based interventions are needed to help find solutions to problems as complex as gun violenceespecially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen skyrocketing gun sales and ever more shootings?" Explore further Mass shootings are rare, but firearm suicides are common and kill more Americans every year More information: Jonathan M. Metzl et al. Structural competency and the future of firearm research, Social Science & Medicine (2021). Journal information: Social Science & Medicine Jonathan M. Metzl et al. Structural competency and the future of firearm research,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113879 NW Natural Water NW Natural Water Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Natural Holding, completed two acquisitions and signed three additional agreements to acquire utilities near its existing service territories, furthering the company's growth strategy in the water utility sector. Closed acquisitions include Morning View Water in the Idaho Falls area and Del Bay Association in Freeland, Washington. In addition, NW Natural Water subsidiaries have executed the following acquisition agreements: Troy Hoffman Water in northern Idaho; Belle Oaks Water & Sewer in southeast Texas; and Pelican Point Water in Washington. Northwest Natural Holding Company is headquartered in Portland and has been doing business for over 160 years in the Pacific Northwest. It owns NW Natural Gas, NW Natural Water, and other business interests. Amazon announced Thursday it plans to open a "fulfillment center" in Shafter by the end of this year that will become the e-commerce company's Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-16 22:04:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the 91st meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the 13th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, April 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) will convene its 28th session from April 26 to 29 in Beijing. The decision was made on Friday 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 draft laws on rural vitalization promotion, food waste prevention, data security, and personal information protection. They will also deliberate draft laws on Hainan free trade port, supervisors, futures, and the protection of status, rights and interests of military personnel. The lawmakers are expected to consider a draft revision to the Maritime Traffic Safety Law and draft amendments to the Education Law, the Road Traffic Safety Law and other eight laws, according to the agenda. They will review reports on fighting pollution and two judicial assistance treaties with Iran, among other bills. Enditem Belgium on Wednesday announced it is planning to reopen restaurants and bars for outdoor service next month and lift a night-time curfew as new COVID-19 cases continue to decrease. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo made the announcement at a news conference in Brussels following a seven-hour meeting with regional leaders who struggled to find a compromise. "We saw that the number of infections has clearly decreased during the last weeks, we saw that the reproduction rate is under one, and we see that the hospitalization rate starts to decrease too," De Croo said at a press conference. Bars and restaurants have been shut down since mid-October because of the pandemic but their owners have been lobbying to reopen and protesting in recent weeks. Barring a new surge in cases, De Croo said they will be authorized to reopen their terraces from May 8, but customers won't be served indoors. De Croo said ministers would launch, along with local authorities, "the possibility to start scientific experiments and tests projects, in order to find the best and the safest way to organize events". "One cannot be blind in front of the situation that are facing health care services, but one cannot be deaf when people are asking for prospects," De Croo said. De Croo also said he hopes on May 8 two people from the same household will be able to socialize inside. The number of new coronavirus infections has dropped 19% over the past seven days and De Croo said a peak might have been reached. But the situation in hospitals remains critical. Belgium will also lift a ban on non-essential travel abroad from next week, but the government continues to advise against such trips. After a three-week shutdown that covered the Easter holidays, schools will open again next Monday, but some classes will be organized remotely. Non-essential shop owners will be authorized to welcome customers without appointments from April 26, when hair salons and tattoo shops can reopen. Tests will also be conducted in order to find possible solutions to organize outdoor events over the summer. A total of 23,566 people have died from coronavirus-related causes in Belgium, a country of 11.5 million - among the hardest-hit globally by the pandemic. A further easing of lockdown is expected in June when a large majority of people aged over 65 will have been vaccinated. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Kristina Trunnell, PA-C U.S. Dermatology Partners is pleased to welcome experienced Dermatology Physician Assistant, Kristina Trunnell, to their Rockville and Silver Spring locations. Kristina Trunnell earned her bachelors degree in Health Sciences with honors from St. Francis University in 2002 and received her Masters in Physician Assistant Sciences the following year. Kristinas physician assistant career began in the field of cardiothoracic surgery at Lancaster Regional Hospital and the Ortenzio Heart Center in Harrisburg, PA. She also worked as a surgical physician assistant for general surgery, orthopedic, and cardiac surgical services at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Kristina transitioned into dermatology in 2008 and provides general dermatologic, surgical, and cosmetic services for patients. She is passionate about treating all types of conditions especially eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. She loves to combine general and cosmetic dermatology to improve her patients lives and self-image. Kristina has completed advanced training and is state-licensed to perform skin cancer excisions, laser hair removal, and Botox injections. She is currently board-certified, state-licensed, and holds current memberships with the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Maryland Academy of Physician Assistants, and the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants. Kristina lives in Frederick County, Maryland where she enjoys spending time with her two active daughters and dog Finley. In her spare time, you will find her watching her older daughter catch for her travel softball team or her younger daughter competing as a gymnast. Kristina Trunnell will treat patients at U.S. Dermatology Partners in Rockville and Silver Spring, Maryland. For more information or to schedule an appointment call 301-681-7000. About U.S. Dermatology Partners As one of the largest physician-owned dermatology practices in the country, U.S. Dermatology Partners patients not only have access to general medical, surgical, and cosmetic skin treatments through its coordinated care network, but also benefit from the practices strong dermatology subspecialty thought leaders and medical advisory board. To be the best partner to its patients, U.S. Dermatology Partners is fervently focused on providing the highest level of patient-first care, and its team, therefore, includes recognized national leaders in areas such as clinical research, psoriasis, and Mohs Surgery. To learn more, visit usdermatologypartners.com. VANCOUVER, BC, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - CRH Medical Corporation (TSX: CRH) (NYSE: CRHM) ("CRH" or the "Company") today announced that its securityholders approved the acquisition of CRH by a subsidiary of WELL Health Technologies Corp. ("WELL Health") at the special meeting of CRH securityholders today. The special resolution approving the arrangement was approved by: (i) 97.30% of the votes cast by CRH shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting; (ii) 97.49% of the votes cast by CRH shareholders, share unitholders and optionholders voting as a single class present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting; and (iii) 97.27% of the votes cast by "minority" CRH shareholders in accordance with Part 8 of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions. Upon closing of the arrangement, CRH shareholders will receive US$4.00 per common share in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes. The arrangement is subject to court and regulatory approvals and clearances, as well as other customary closing conditions. Subject to the satisfaction of such conditions, the transaction is expected to be completed on or about April 22, 2021. About CRH Medical Corporation: CRH Medical Corporation is a North American company focused on providing gastroenterologists throughout the United States with innovative services and products for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. In 2014, CRH became a full-service gastroenterology anesthesia company that provides anesthesia services for patients undergoing endoscopic procedures in ambulatory surgical centers. To date, CRH has completed 33 anesthesia acquisitions, and now serves 72 ambulatory surgical centers in 15 states. In addition, CRH owns the CRH O'Regan System, a single-use, disposable, hemorrhoid banding technology that is safe and highly effective in treating all grades of hemorrhoids. CRH distributes the O'Regan System, treatment protocols, operational and marketing expertise as a complete, turnkey package directly to gastroenterology practices, creating meaningful relationships with the gastroenterologists it serves. CRH's O'Regan System is currently used in all 48 lower US states. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements and information included or incorporated by reference in this document may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward looking statements include statements regarding the acquisition of the Company by WELL Health and the expected timetable for completing such proposed transaction, as well as all other statements that are not statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "plan," "intend" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations of management regarding future events and performance as of the date of this document and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results to be materially different those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future results, and there can be no assurance that the results expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements include: (i) the risk that regulatory or other approvals required for the transaction may be delayed or not obtained, or are obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; (ii) the possibility that certain other conditions to the consummation of the proposed transaction will not be satisfied or completed on a timely basis, or at all; (iii) the risk that the financing necessary for the consummation of the proposed transaction is unavailable at the closing; (iv) the risk of disruption from the announcement, pendency and/or completion of the potential transaction, including potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships with customers, employees, suppliers or regulators, making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; (v) uncertainties related to developments in the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the Company's operations and the completion of the proposed transaction; and (vi) uncertainties related to general economic, financial, regulatory and political conditions, as well as potential changes in law and regulatory interpretations. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, without limitation, the risks identified by the Company in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K, which are available on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml or on the Company's website at www.crhmedcorp.com. The Company disclaims any intent or obligations to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, estimates or options, future events or results or otherwise, unless required to do so by law. SOURCE CRH Medical Corporation Related Links www.crhmedcorp.com Whatever the state of public transportation in the real world, pop culture does not lack for metaphorical trains that promise to solve our problems. Glide on the peace train. Start a love train. People get ready, theres a train a-comin. Infinity Train, however, requires a little more work on the part of the passenger. The train supplies the ride. You supply the solution. In this fantastical animated anthology, which began on Cartoon Network and whose fourth and final season arrives Thursday on HBO Max, a mysterious locomotive picks up passengers with problems to work through. It traps them within its endless chain of cars, each of which contains a vast world. And there they stay, until they figure out their business. Forget coal or electricity; this train runs on personal growth. On one level, the mystical train is like a puzzle, or a complex game. Each cars interior which might be an Old West desert inhabited by bugs, a giant ball pit or a vast landscape of wedding cakes poses a challenge that must be solved before the door to the next car opens. Israeli fighters launched attacks on Hamas military targets. A weapons production site, a smuggling tunnel and a military post were hit. Last night a rocket landed in an uninhabited area of Sderot, without causing damage or injuries. Isolation and Covid-19 worsen the situation of population living in the Strip. Gaza (AsiaNews / Agencies) - In the early hours of the morning the Israeli army launched a series of air strikes against military targets in the Gaza Strip, in response to the launch of rockets from the Palestinian enclave in the south of Israel. According to reports from the Armed Forces fighter jets and assault helicopters hit "a site for the production of weapons, a tunnel for the smuggling of weapons and a military post" belonging to Hamas. "We are not willing - concludes the Israeli military note - to tolerate any kind of threat against the civilian population". Missile launches from the Strip towards the south of the country are a frequent phenomenon in recent years, such as Israel's targeted operations against military targets of the Palestinian movement that governs the area, described as an open-air prison and in serious difficulty due to the pandemic of COVID-19. Last night the inhabitants of Sderot, a town in the south, hastily hid in shelters or other safe places following the launch of a large rocket from Gaza. According to reports by Shaar Hanegev, spokesman for the local municipal administration, the bomb landed in an open area and caused no damage or injuries. Israel imposed a land and sea border blockade on Gaza after Hamas came to power in 2007. Since then, the two fronts have fought three very hard wars, which have exacerbated the already precarious living conditions of the local population even more. In recent years it has withstood a fragile truce, interrupted by brief escalations of violence. In most cases these are rocket launches from the Strip, to which Israel responds with targeted air strikes. For 10 years, the Israeli government has been using a missile defines system called the "Iron Dome", which has made it possible to intercept hundreds of attacks from Gaza or neighbouring Syria. On the other hand, conditions in the Strip have worsened even more since local authorities issued blocks, restrictions and lockdowns to counter the spread of the new coronavirus, after the area had been spared from the pandemic every month - thanks to isolation. A Black man in Virginia, who was dressed in his U.S. Army fatigues, drove to a well-lit area as he was being stopped by police. The mans attorney told The Associated Press he drove to that gas station to protect the safety of the officers. The cops, however, claimed he was eluding. The traffic stop escalated, despite Caron Nazarios effort to comply with the officers demands. Im honestly afraid to get out, Nazario told the officer, his hands held outside the drivers side window. Yeah, you should be! the officer responded. Nazario was pepper sprayed and knocked to the ground. The body-camera video capturing the December traffic stop has gone viral after it was published by The Virginian-Pilot and then picked up by national news outlets. The video came to light as the trial of Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd in May, is ongoing, and as demonstrators call for justice in the recent fatal shooting of Duante Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. I think were at the point where persons of color are just very wary of traffic stops, and they want to be somewhere they feel more safe, said Kip Cornwell, a professor at Seton Hall Law School. NJ Advance Media interviewed Cornwell to get a better understanding of what rights drivers have during traffic stops. Here is the interview, edited slightly for brevity. Do you have to produce identification when asked? The vast majority of states have what are called stop and identify laws, and so, if (police) have reasonable suspicion, you need to identify yourself. So reasonable suspicion that youre somehow involved in something unlawful, then you have to provide identification. If you fail to identify yourself, you can be arrested for violating the stop and identify provision. Do you have to exit the vehicle if an officer asks? Yes. The Supreme Court has said that it is within an officers discretion to order anyone out of the vehicle during a traffic stop. Once a traffic stop is initiated, how long before you have to pull over? Can you drive to a safer location if, for example, youre on a busy highway? Its not like you have 60 seconds, 30 seconds to comply. You have to comply with the officers demand to do it. There is certainly no constitutional standard as to what constitutes compliance. It can either be governed by state statute or state case law in an individual jurisdiction. Getting in the weeds of exactly how long, you dont really see a discussion of that. In a case like (Caron Nazario), the question would be whether the officer believed he was being non-compliant. At what point do you have a right to remain silent? Always. They cant force words out of your mouth. The only time that becomes relevant, technically, is in a stop and identify situation where thats part of asking you to identify yourself. When can a police officer search your vehicle? An officer can search your vehicle if theres probable cause to believe theres contraband or evidence of a crime in it, or incident to arrest. They can do a consent search, which is probably the most common. If youre pulled over because youre speeding and you comply with the traffic stop and they say, Sir, do you mind if we just take a look? You have every right to say no. Most people feel intimidated, and they consent. What is the legal standard for making a traffic stop? Reasonable suspicion. Theres some ambiguity on whether you need reasonable suspicion, which is (a) lower (standard) than probable cause. But a traffic stop is considered an investigative stop, and for investigative stops, whether youre in a car or on the street, those require reasonable suspicion. Depending on how that develops, they can at some point require probable cause to extend the stop. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Over 217,000 fresh cases in yet another record daily spike India reported 217,353 fresh infections on Friday, taking the cumulative caseload to 14.2 million, according to a report in the Hindustan Times. The country saw 1,185 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 173,123, according to central health ministry data. The active caseload is at 1.5 million, while the total recoveries have surged to 12.5 million. This was the eighth record daily increase in the last nine days, the report said. Read more here HC pulls up Gujarat govt for discrepancies in Covid numbers The Gujarat high court has pulled up the state government for alleged discrepancies in Covid-19 caseloads and also said the state is facing a "tsunami" of cases, a report in the Hindustan Times said. The court was hearing a suo moto petition into the states handling of the Covid crisis. The figures given by the state are not matching with the actual number of positive cases, a division bench said. On Thursday, the state registered 8,152 fresh infections and 81 new deaths, taking the tally to 375,768 cases and 5,089 fatalities. Read more here Ahmedabad: Covid strain causing lung damage, delayed symptoms Doctors say some of the symptoms Covid patients are facing in Ahmedabad include lung damage and the sudden onset of pneumonitis (lung inflammation), a report in ThePrint said. Reports from across the country have suggested that the spike in cases is due to a double mutant variant. But in Ahmedabad, not only does the seem more destructive, but is showing unpredictable behaviour, leaving doctors concerned. Read more here Migrant workers vulnerable again: Activists Activists say migrant workers could once again suffer loss of wages and a lack of social protections as state governments announce lockdowns and curfews to curb the spread of the coronavirus, a report in The Hindu said. Not much has changed a year after tens of thousands of migrant workers made their way back to their home states after the nationwide lockdown was announced in March, the activists said referring to the migrants' quality of life and living conditions. Workers in the informal sector think that if there is a lockdown again, they could be stranded and so have started returning to their villages. After the lockdown last year, many of these workers could not get back their jobs as the contractors who hired them did not want to take the responsibility of paying them lockdown wages, said All-India Trade Union Congress general secretary Amarjeet Kaur. Read more here Past Covid infection is no guarantee for immunity even in young: Lancet study A study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, a medical journal, has found that vaccinations are necessary to boost immune responses even in young people who have been previously infected, a report ThePrint said. The researchers suggested that young people should take the vaccine wherever possible. Read more here A wheel brace was allegedly produced during a dispute in Blessington, it was claimed at Naas District Court on April 7. Dylan White, 23, whose address was given as 278 St James Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, was prosecuted for allegedly producing an article on June 27, 2020 at 1 Beechdale, Blessington. The court heard that the gardai received a call about an altercation at Beechdale, Blessington, where the defendant had a wheel brace, which he dropped when asked to do so. Read more County Kildare news The court was also told that another individual was allegedly running around the area and he was allegedly being threatened by the defendant. A car was allegedly damaged and there were footprints and scratches on the vehicle and the car owner is completely innocent. The case was adjourned to October 6 for the preparation of a book of evidence. BEIJING - A top Chinese diplomat said Friday that U.S. policy toward China is too negative" and that co-operation could be critically important as the Biden administration focuses on combatting COVID-19 and promoting economic recovery. Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Yucheng speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, Friday, April 16, 2021. Le spoke to AP on a wide range of issues during an interview on Friday including climate change and US-China relations. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) BEIJING - A top Chinese diplomat said Friday that U.S. policy toward China is too negative" and that co-operation could be critically important as the Biden administration focuses on combatting COVID-19 and promoting economic recovery. The U.S. appears to be highlighting confrontation and playing down co-operation, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press. Such an approach, I must say, is too negative, he said, adding that it lacks a forward-looking spirit. China could be a partner as Biden tackles the coronavirus and the economy, he said. To me it is hard to imagine the two priorities can be resolved without a co-operative and healthy China-U.S. relationship," he said. Le also signalled that China is unlikely to make any new pledges at a climate change meeting called by President Joe Biden for next week. He spoke as Bidens climate envoy, John Kerry, was discussing the issue on the second day of closed-door meetings with Chinese counterparts in Shanghai. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last year that China would be carbon-neutral by 2060 and aim to reach a peak in its emissions by 2030. Staff members and translators take notes as Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Yucheng speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, Friday, April 16, 2021. Le spoke to AP on a wide range of issues during an interview on Friday including climate change and US-China relations. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) For a big country with 1.4 billion people, these goals are not easily delivered, Le said. Some countries are asking China to achieve the goals earlier. I am afraid this is not very realistic. Le said he had no details on the Kerry meetings in Shanghai. Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Xi, to an April 22-23 virtual climate summit. The U.S. and other countries are expected to announce more ambitious national targets for cutting emissions and pledge financial help for climate efforts by less wealthy nations. Le said that China would convey a positive message at the meeting, but added that China is responding to climate change on its own initiative, not because others asked it to. On whether Xi would join the summit, Le said the Chinese side is actively studying the matter. The U.S. and China are increasingly at odds over a range of issues, including human rights in Tibet and the Xinjiang region, a crackdown on protest and political freedom in Hong Kong, Chinas assertion of its territorial claims to Taiwan and most of the South China Sea and accusations Beijing was slow to inform the world about the COVID-19 outbreak that became a devastating pandemic. China hoped for an improvement in relations under Biden, who succeeded President Donald Trump in January, but the new administration has shown no sign of backing down on hardline policies toward China. The two sides traded sharp and unusually public barbs at the start of talks in Alaska last month. Le said that after the opening of the Alaska talks, the dialogue was constructive and useful and that both sides are following up on the issues discussed. The two countries could team up on coronavirus response, he said, but any co-operation must be on an equal basis, an apparent reference to the U.S. pressure on China on multiple fronts. It is not one side drawing up a laundry list of demands to the other side, Le said. In co-operation, one should not be selfish and care only about ones own interests with no regard for the well-being of the other side. On the same day that a number of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were sentenced, Le defended China's crackdown on protest in the semi-autonomous territory. He described the convicted as rioters and said they deserve what they got. He added, I dont think it is anything strange if Hong Kong somehow becomes more like a Chinese city because after all Hong Kong is part of China." The U.K., U.S. and others have accused Beijing of reneging on a commitment to run the former British colony under a so-called one country, two systems framework for 50 years after its 1997 handover to Chinese rule. Le brushed aside such critiques, saying, Hong Kong is always Chinas Hong Kong and this is something that will not change. The vice minister also condemned Western sanctions against companies accused of human rights and labour abuses in Xinjiang. The U.S. blocked imports from several companies operating in the region last year, and added a blanket ban on Xinjiang's cotton and tomato products in January. Rather than protecting workers, Le said, the sanctions have damaged human rights in Xinjiang, resulting in forced unemployment and forced poverty in Xinjiang." He also repeated warnings against American government contact with Taiwan, after Biden sent a delegation of former U.S. officials to meet the island's president this week. China claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory and says, like Hong Kong, it should be under Beijing's control. The U.S. should never try to play the Taiwan card, Le said. It is very dangerous. This is our red line. The U.S. should never try to cross it. American military officials have warned that China may be accelerating its timeframe for capturing control of Taiwan. Asked if China had a deadline, Le said only that it was a historical process. A group of Port Authority police officers are being hailed as heroes after they rescued a PATH riders dog from the Journal Square stations escalator. And the heroism didnt end there. When the dogs frantic owner said she had no way to get her Pomeranian to the veterinarian Port Authority Sgt. Angel Lopez hailed a taxi and paid the fare. The saga started when P.A. police officers Anthony Manfredini and Matthew Maiello heard a womans panic screams and a yelping sound at 1:11 p.m. Wednesday. They soon found Scott, with his left paw caught in the bottom of an escalator, whimpering as his owner was screaming for help. Manfredini quickly halted the escalator operation while Maiello called in for the P.A. Emergency Service Unit (ESU) and maintenance to assist. I spent my life training and caretaking for dogs in the Marine Corps as a K9 handler and in my personal life, said Manfredini, who has been on the force for five years. I didnt have a second thought when it came to cries for help. Emergency Service officers Mark Legic, Andrew Vignapiano and Eric Block unbolted the claw plate of the escalator while Manfredini comforted and held the dog, preventing him from further injury. The officers pried the grate from the motor stairs and freed the dogs paw. Scott suffered multiple lacerations and puncture wounds on his rear paw. We take any emergency seriously, and we come prepared to help whoever is in danger, whether thats human or animal, Vignapiano said. Many of us are dog owners ourselves and know that your pets are like family to you and therefore members of our community, too. This year marks the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Italy, ties reaffirmed when Italy became a republic in 1946. Since then, our two nations have forged remarkable economic and cultural partnerships with deep connections on both sides of the Atlantic. This historic anniversary marks the bond between the United States and Italy and is uniquely personally as well. My grandparents immigrated to the United States from Calabria and Naples, Italy in the early 1900s and I grew up surrounded by a large family with strong Italian roots in Staten Island, New York. Our heritage as an Italian American family shaped my future and who I became. UPDATE (3:18 p.m.): Fridays Mets-Rockies game has been postponed. MLB.coms Anthony DiComo reports its the Mets seventh postponement in 16 days this season. First coronavirus, then rain, then cold/snow. The Mets and Rockies will play a straight doubleheader beginning at 5:10 p.m. ET/3:10 p.m. MT (Saturday). Hey @Rockies, so how do we do this? You have a Zamboni or something?! pic.twitter.com/Ui5JPrqPsW New York Mets (@Mets) April 16, 2021 Mother Nature is not a fan of the New York Mets. Three of the teams last five games were rained out at Citi Field. On Thursday, the Mets headed west to visit the Colorado Rockies. When they stepped off the airplane, they found the ground covered with a fresh coat of snow. And the flakes were still falling late into evening. In fact, when the Mets and Rockies play ball Friday at Coors Field, more snow could be falling. Here is the latest weather forecast from the National Weather Service: Friday Snow showers likely, mainly before 9am. Cloudy, with a high near 36. North northeast wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible. Friday Night A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 27. North northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable in the evening. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. The National Weather Service also issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for the Denver area: Widespread light snow showers will continue for much of the morning with an additional inch of snow possible by midday. The urban corridor and plains will see many dry hours during the afternoon although a few isolated snow showers may redevelop. Across the mountains, snow showers will increase in coverage and intensity during the afternoon with the highest additional snowfall amounts of between 2 to 6 inches along the mountains of eastern Summit and western Park counties. The Mets will send ace Jacob deGrom to the mound Friday to open the series. He will look to remain red-hot in the icy cold after giving up just one run in his first two starts while striking out 21. The Mets arrived in Colorado late last night: "What are we, the Green Bay Packers?" (via IG/str0sh0w) pic.twitter.com/ZMs5oRjdH2 SNY (@SNYtv) April 16, 2021 Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Hyderabad, April 16 : Telangana Health Minister E. Rajender on Friday admitted that there is shortage of medical oxygen in the state, and that the government was taking all steps to tide over the problem triggered by the massive Coid-19 surge. Stating that the second wave is more intense than the one seen last year, he appealed to people to be alert and take all precautions to prevent the spread of Covid. He advised people to venture out of their houses only if it is inevitable. The minister, however, ruled out lockdown, curfew or imposition of Section 144 in the state. Talking to reporters after inaugurating a paddy procurement centre at Huzurabad in Karimnagar district, he said the state administration under the leadership of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was working to contain the spread of Covid. He said people should follow the suggestions and guidelines being issued by the authorities from time to time to check the pandemic. Telangana on Friday reported 3,840 cases, the highest single-day spike since the pandemic broke out last year. The minister said the numbers could further go up. Warning the private hospitals against charging more money from Covid patients, he said nothing was more condemnable than people making money from the helpless situation of patients approaching private hospitals during the pandemic. He urged the private hospitals to display a humane approach towards patients. Rajender said the number of people taking Covid vaccine in the state has gone up but noted that the supply of vaccine doses is not in tune with the demand. He revealed that he has suggested to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to vaccinate all those above 25 years of age, and while the central minister responded positively, he did not give any assurance. Meanwhile, state health authorities on Friday announced that the state-run Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad has been converted into Covid only hospital. All non-Covid patients undergoing treatment at the hospital will be shifted to other government-run hospitals in the city. The Health Department has ordered Gandhi Hospital to stop out-patient service from Saturday. The hospital was also told to stop all elective surgeries. According to officials, one Covid patient is approaching Gandhi Hospital in every 10 minutes. On Thursday, 150 Covid patients were admitted. Currently, more than 450 Covid patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Gandhi Hospital is the biggest state-run tertiary care hospital in the state. Last year, it served as state Covid nodal centre and as a Covid only facility. It started treating other patients towards the end of last year after the pandemic was under control. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A teenage YouTube rapper pointed what appeared to be a gun at another driver in Princes Bay, which prompted a raid where police seized real and fake firearms from the suspects Annadale home, authorities allege. Matthew Cloth, 18, is a YouTube rapper who goes by the handle Matty Gz, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. His video, EveryBody K, has more than 130,000 views, and in it he can be seen displaying what appears to be a firearm. The disturbing series of events began while Cloth was driving a 2021 Nissan on Wednesday around 3 p.m. near the corner of Ramapo Avenue and Vernon Avenue, according to a spokeswoman for the NYPD. An 18-year-old male victim told police that he was driving a car with three other people inside when Cloth pulled up next to his car. Cloth allegedly pointed what appeared to a black firearm at the victim and his passengers, the complaint alleges. The victim attempted to drive away, but Cloth gave chase at a high rate of speed, causing the victims car to hit a parked vehicle, the police spokeswoman said. Police then obtained a search warrant and raided Cloths home on Edwin Street shortly before 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Officers recovered a Glock 27 .40-caliber pistol loaded with four rounds of hollow-point bullets from the attic of Cloths home, the complaint alleges. In the basement, officers confiscated three imitation firearms two Air CO2 handguns and 1 AirCO2 rifle 652 bullets of varying calibers, and one magazine for an unknown firearm, according to the complaint. The criminal complaint alleges that Cloth is not licensed to possess firearms in New York City and is not a dealer in rifles or shotguns in New York City. The guns in the pictures and videos are fake, the criminal complaint alleges that Cloth said to police. A photo of the recovered guns, both real and fake, were posted on the 123rd Precinct Twitter feed. What started as a traffic dispute turned into a dispute with a firearm. Some great investigative work to follow up with the incident yielded the pictured firearms and ammo being seized pursuant to a search warrant with the perpetrator being brought to justice. #onelessgun pic.twitter.com/qIwqcnuWtI NYPD 123rd Precinct (@NYPD123Pct) April 14, 2021 What started as a traffic dispute turned into a dispute with a firearm, said the post. Some great investigative work to follow up with the incident yielded the pictured firearms and ammo being seized pursuant to a search warrant with the perpetrator being brought to justice. Cloth has been charged with criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing, harassment, unlawful sale or possession or use of an imitation pistol and unlawful possession of ammunition. Cloth was released under supervision and is due back in Criminal Court on July 14, according to public records. An attorney for the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment. GOT A .45 ON ME Cloths boisterous YouTube presence includes overt references to firearms and anti-police rhetoric. One music video he is featured in, Smoke Em, includes frames of him appearing to hold a firearm. The video, which has nearly 120,000 views, features a disclaimer that says: Any props that resemblence to any illegal materials are merely props and should not be taken seriously. During the video, Cloth says, .45 on me, I got a stick, referencing the slang term for a firearm. On Instagram, an account, _MATTYGZ_BACKUP features multiple clips of Cloth rapping and photos posing with stacks of money and firearms. RELATED COVERAGE: Crime news on Staten Island Yosemite National Park View Photo Yosemite, CA As part of COVID-19 monitoring, Mariposa County tests the wastewater in Yosemite National Park weekly. It has been done throughout the past year as part of a federal Epidemiology, Laboratory and Informatics (ELC) grant. In a first for the region, Mariposa Health Officer, Dr. Eric Sergienko says a small amount of the UK COVID-19 variant was just detected. The variant does not increase the disease severity, but it is considered much more contagious. Dr. Sergienko says, Given the low amount that was in the wastewater, it was probably from a visitor to the park. Most people in Yosemite are recreating outdoors, where COVID is far less contagious. Adding, While it shouldnt be surprising, I think it is important for people to recognize that it is out there, and it is another reason to get vaccinated. I think it is also a good reason to keep social distancing, and non-pharmaceutical interventions, like wearing a mask, and to stay home if you are sick. Dr. Sergienko says they test the wastewater in Yosemite is to find out how prevalent COVID is, as most people would leave the park before seeking medical attention, making monitoring more difficult. Dr. Sergienko, who is also Tuolumne Countys Interim Health Officer, also stated this morning that the COVID-19 testing site at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds will be reduced to three days a week beginning April 25. It is due to a lack of demand for testing as more people are getting vaccinated. It will be open 7am-7pm, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Dr. Sergienko still encourages people to get tested, especially if traveling outside the area. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Apr, 2021 ) :The Kremlin on Friday said it was "good" that US President Joe Biden was seeking dialogue with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, after Biden called for de-escalation. Biden on Tuesday suggested he and Putin meet for a summit on neutral ground to discuss escalating tensions between Russia and US ally Ukraine, and on Thursday said that it was also "time to de-escalate" for Moscow and Washington. "President Putin has spoken about the appropriateness of building relations, normalising relations and de-escalating relations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday. "He has repeatedly said that we are ready to develop our dialogue to the degree that our counterparts are ready for this," he added. "In this regard, it is indeed good that the points of view of the two heads of state coincide on this". He said that the Kremlin was still considering the offer for a Putin-Biden summit, as Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Friday offered his country as a venue for the possible meeting. Despite the call for cooling tensions, Washington on Thursday angered Moscow by imposing a new round of sanctions on Russia for alleged election interference and hacking, with the Kremlin saying that the penalties will not "help" the potential summit. "The addiction for sanctions remains unacceptable," Peskov said Friday. Biden has promised to take a much firmer line on Moscow than his predecessor Donald Trump. Last month Biden caused an uproar in Moscow after he agreed with a description of Putin as a "killer". The US president on Thursday described the new sanctions as a "measured and proportionate" response to Moscow's hostile actions against Washington, but said the United States is "not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict". Police stand near the scene where multiple people were shot at the FedEx Ground facility in Indianapolis, Ind., on April 16, 2021. (Michael Conroy/AP Photo) Police Trying to Identify Shooter, Motive in FedEx Mass Shooting Law enforcement officials still have not identified the man who killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indiana late Thursday before shooting himself. I can really tell you very little and the reason is, we are still working to identify everybody that is still on scene there. So we are not able to make positive identification of the suspect, Craig McCartt, deputy police chief with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters in a morning briefing. Authorities refused to say whether the gunman had a connection to the facility, which is near the Indianapolis airport. Thats difficult to determine until we make positive identification. So were certainly working with the FedEx organization in trying to establish all those connections, but we just cant do that yet, McCartt said. The crime scene is still being processed, preventing coroner workers from entering and making identifications of the suspect and victims. Officers rushed to the area just before midnight on Thursday and found people shot both inside and outside the building. Eight people have died, and others are being treated in hospitals. The suspect drove to the facility and exited his car before almost immediately opening fire. Authorities say there was no confrontation that preceded the shootings. There was no confrontation with anyone that was there. There was no disturbance. There was no argument. He just appeared to randomly start shooting, McCartt said. Police and crime scene investigators work at the site of a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Ind., on April 16, 2021. (Jeff Dean/AFP via Getty Images) The gunman then entered the facility briefly before he took his own life, just minutes after the spree started. The suicide took place before officers entered the building. The weapon was described as a rifle. Ive been with the coroners office for 23 years. Ive not seen this capacity in terms of the numbers of mass fatality shootings in a short period of time. It is very disturbing for our entire community, Alfarena McGinty, the chief deputy coroner at the Marion County Coroners Office, told reporters. The staff is definitely suffering and is going to need long-term counseling with regard to these types of deaths. In a letter to employees, FedEx Chairman and CEO Frederick Smith said that all eight victims were workers at the company. First and foremost, I want to express my deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and co-workers of those team members. Our priority right now is in responding to the situation on the ground and helping our team members and law enforcement. We have a team onsite in Indianapolis to provide support, and we are making counselors available, he wrote. This is a devastating day, and words are hard to describe the emotions we all feel. Please keep the Indianapolis team and surrounding community in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to support and care for each other in the difficult days ahead. Our unwillingness to understand the profound, deep-seated, systemic nature of white supremacy has lulled many into thinking that police reform might get off to a meaningful start by simply weeding a few bad apples out of the force. But you cant even start weeding out the bad apples until youve taken a cleareyed look at the culture that allows them to burrow deeply into a departments ranks. In the summer of 1991, when my son turned 14, he and a group of friends were walking a buddy home in our South Minneapolis neighborhood when they were suddenly stopped by the police. There were five kids. One was white. Their white friend was pulled aside. Well, well, we got ourselves a little race traitor here, he was told. This is disturbing on several levels, but language about being a race traitor isnt just casual racist talk: Its very specific to movement white supremacy. Talk thats only going to spill out of the mouth of someone involved in it. Were right to be deeply concerned about the havoc and lost trust that the actions of an overtly racist officer can cause, and police reform must mean much more than watch-dogging the decisions of individual officers. But thats precisely how law enforcement suddenly shows up in an average citizens life: An officer decides to pull you over. The most dangerous, most life-threatening police stop Ive ever endured happened here in Minneapolis, back in the 1970s. But I must also say this: The best, most positive police stop Ive ever been part of happened here, too, much more recently. I was driving my grandson to school, and we were late. I was speeding. Nothing egregious, but I was cruising above the posted speed limit, for sure. The white officer who pulled us over listened to my flustered apology, looked at me, looked at my grandson. Then I watched as it dawned across his face that he had an opportunity to demonstrate for the kid that this is how a police stop is supposed to go. It was a show for his benefit. I knew it, and the officer clearly knew that I knew. The show ended with a mild verbal warning. But when this incident occurred, I was already a graybeard, and no longer fit the profile of the young Black man whom law enforcement widely sees as a potentially dangerous problem all the time, anywhere he goes. My grandson drives himself around these days. And for the next 20 years or so, he will fit that profile. And he will be vulnerable and in danger anytime hes out in public. This is a fact. And unless and until this fact changes, all our hearts will be in our throats every time he ventures out whether its to go serve his community as a firefighter or pick up a gallon of milk until we see that hes safely home again. The logo of Google is displayed on a carpet at the entrance hall of Google in Paris, France, on Nov. 18, 2019. (Michel Euler/AP Photo) Google Found Guilty of Misleading Australian Customers on Data Collection The Australian Federal Court has found Google guilty of misleading customers about personal location data collection on android mobile devices in a world-first enforcement action by the countrys consumer watchdog. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been pursuing legal action against Googles misleading conduct since Oct. 2019. This is an important victory for consumers, especially anyone concerned about their privacy online, as the Courts decision sends a strong message to Google and others that big businesses must not mislead their customers, ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said. Todays decision is an important step to make sure digital platforms are upfront with consumers about what is happening with their data and what they can do to protect it, Sims said. The ACCC claimed Google breached Australian consumer law from at least Jan. 2017 when it gave users the false impression of opting out of location data collection when the location history setting was turned off. Google, the court found, did not properly disclose to customers that both the location history and web & app activity settings had to be switched off if customers did not want their personal data collected, kept, and used by the tech giant. A man uses the new Google Pixel 4 smartphone during a Google launch event on Oct. 15, 2019, in New York City. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Federal court judge Justice Thomas Thawley concluded that Googles conduct would not have misled all reasonable users. But would have likely misled some reasonable users, he said. The number or proportion of reasonable users who were misled, or were likely to have been misled, does not matter for the purposes of establishing contraventions, Thawley said in the judgement. The ACCC chairman said he was absolutely delighted with the positive court outcome and noted it was the first ruling of its type in the world concerning location data issues. Companies that collect information must explain their settings clearly and transparently, so consumers are not misled, Sims said. Consumers should not be kept in the dark when it comes to the collection of their personal location data. However, Google said the court had rejected many claims made by the ACCC and that it disagreed with the final ruling. The company also declared it was looking into the possibility of appealing the case. We disagree with the remaining findings and are currently reviewing our options, including a possible appeal, a Google spokesman said. The Australia Institutes think-tank Center for Responsible Technology (CRT) said the case highlighted the complexity of Big Tech terms and conditions. The reality is most people have little to no idea on how much of their data is being used by Google and online platforms, CRT director Peter Lewis said. Australia Institute research shows that you need a university education and that it takes an average of 74 minutes to read most terms and conditions. It is hardly surprising that people end up in this strange world between accepting terms and not understanding them, Lewis. Rob Nicholls, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales, told The Epoch Times that the ruling was a major decision that would impact the approach to click-through agreements on a global basis. However, he said it would not affect Googles current business model. It was interesting that the judgment took the view that the conduct was only partially misleading, Nicholls said. This is likely to be important in [Googles] appeal process. Gardai have released a man arrested in connection with the murder of a missing Portlaoise man but are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Garda HQ issued an update on the investigation. "The male, aged in his 20s, who was arrested on Wednesday, 14th April 2021, by Gardai investigating the disappearance of William Delaney, has been released without charge. "A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Investigations are ongoing," concluded the statment. Former President Donald Trump stated the federal government is executing an awful disservice to U.S. citizens by pausing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine usage. He also remarked it could have been halted due to potential "political reasons." The news came after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended a halt in using the J&J COVID-19 dose. Trump: Pause in Johnson & Johnson Vaccines 'Done for Politics' According to Trump, with regards to the vaccine made by Pfizer, "The results of this vaccine have been extraordinary but now it's [sic] reputation will be permanently challenged. The people who have already taken the vaccine will be up in arms, and perhaps all of this was done for politics or perhaps it's the FDA's love for Pfizer," reported The Epoch Times. Trump released the statement on Tuesday, denouncing the FDA's recommendation to halt the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. His suggestion that the move was politically motivated had no backing evidence yet. He said the novel coronavirus vaccine results have been remarkable, but now its reputation will be permanently debatable. Six people who were recently inoculated against the coronavirus with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine developed rare and severe blood clotting. With an estimated 7 million doses administered, it is a very rare potential side effect. The halt, which could last only a few days, was advised out of an "abundance of caution," reported Newsweek. Trump prompted the FDA and CDC to end the halt as soon as possible. He foretold that individuals who already received the Johnson & Johnson dose would be "up in arms," reported Daily News. SC Dismisses Lawsuit Over Trump Blocking Critics on Twitter According to the former president, "Remember, it was the FDA working with Pfizer, who announced the vaccine approval two days after the 2020 Presidential Election. They didn't like me very much because I pushed them extremely hard." Trump floated the idea that the FDA could have been playing favorites. He said it should not be able to do such damage for potential political reasons or because their friends at Pfizer had proposed it. The FDA and CDC's recommendation fell short of prompting sites to halt administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. However, states swiftly began declaring they had paused appointments for it. Out of the six individuals who had cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, the rare blood clot, one was declared dead, and another is in critical condition. Almost seven million Americans have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The broad majority experienced no or mild side effects. According to the agencies, the pause would likely last for days. They affirmed it would not affect the overall vaccination effort because there are ample supplies of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which are not covered by the pause. According to the former commander-in-chief, the FDA has to be controlled. He added that they do things like this to make themselves seem important. Trump did not lose an opportunity to bring up his loss in the 2020 presidential election. He also blamed the pharmaceutical companies that worked with his administration to develop a vaccine. Trump to Launch Own Social Media Platform in 3-4 Months @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. I was driving around the other day when I realized that the license tabs on my car had expired. I didnt panic, because I didnt have to. If the cops pulled me over, I could feel assured as a white male: My life would not be in danger. It was expired registration tags that led the police to pull over Daunte Wright, the young Black man killed by Officer Kim Potter in suburban Minneapolis this month. (It has been described by local authorities as a deadly accident, although his family finds that implausible.) And it was temporary license plates that prompted a chain of events that ended with police in rural Virginia pepper-spraying Caron Nazario, a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, who is Black and Latino. Im actively serving this country, and this is how youre going to treat me? Lieutenant Nazario told the officers. Race is the only explanation for this loathsome assault. The blue wall of silence, the code that calls on cops to protect one another against charges of brutality and criminality, compounded the attack: The two officers filed near identical misstatements about what happened, according to a lawsuit filed by Lieutenant Nazario. Cops protect the state. They also are the state. We revere them for the first part. We fear them for the second. But even as we condemn another round of horrific and excessive state violence directed at Black Americans, theres actually a ray of hope on the police reform blotter. The project valuation is based on the PFS which covers a high-grade starter pit, producing 200,000 ounces in Year 1 and averaging 182,000 ounces per annum in Years 1-3. The analysts model first gold from the project in mid-2023. ( ) has secured a Speculative Buy rating and a price target of A$0.75 per share from Ltd off the back of its recently published pre-feasibility study for the Abujar Gold Project in Cote dIvoire. The study considers an open pit mining scenario solely based around the large Abujar Gludehi (AG) deposit but also presents an expanded scenario to scoping study level of detail, which includes Abujar Pischon Golikro (APG) satellite pits and an underground resource at AG tacked on the end of the PFS LOM. Notably, the PFS is underpinned by a maiden reserve of 860,000 ounces at 1.7 g/t gold and an AG mine inventory of 1.12 million ounces at 1.5 g/t gold (PFS) and/or 1.5 million ounces at 1.4 g/t gold (expanded case), compared to previous CGe of 1.5 million ounces at 1.2 g/t. PFS meets expectations Canaccord analysts Paul Howard and Reg Spencer said the PFS met their expectations for a low cost base case with 200,000 ounces in Year 1 and averaging 182,000 ounces per annum in Years 1-3. PFS costs are lower than we expected owing to higher LOM grades and lower unit costs. We believe the first six years present a compelling open pit opportunity that will be augmented over time through drilling to deliver a long mine life operation. We find it very pleasing to see a 1.7 g/t gold reserve grade owing to infill around higher grade zones. Base case and expanded case Highlights from the PFS include Year 0 pre-stripping, stockpiling and 48,000 ounces gold production, with production averaging 164,000 ounces per annum over the 6.5-year LOM in the PFS and 153,000 ounces per annum over the 9.4-year expanded case. CGe was 156,000 ounces per annum over a 9-year LOM (182,000 ounces per annum in the corresponding years 1-6). The analysts said: AISC is expected to be a lowly US$839/ounce over the 6.5-year PFS case and US$903/ounce over the 9.4-year expanded case, comparing favourably to CGe of around US$1,000/ounce. Capital costs (including US$35 million contingency) to build the proposed 3.5 million tonnes per annum plant come in at US$230 million, in line with CGe, also US$230 million. LOM production and cost profile; focus areas for DFS. Areas to deliver upside Howard and Spencer said that, aside from increased mine life/production profile through discovery, they see a number of areas that can deliver upside. TIE has stated that it is confident the DFS can demonstrate a requirement for less capital contingency compared to the US$35 million seen in the PFS. We see the 1.7 g/t reserve grade for AG (compared to the 1.5 g/t resource grade) as a promising sign that as the satellite deposits of APG and SG are drilled out, we could see a lift in global grade, above the 1.3 g/t gold that we currently model in our development scenario. We continue to model a 94% recovery, despite TIE's class-leading 96% assumption in the PFS. We believe further upside remains if TIE can achieve such high recoveries when in production. Model first gold in mid-2023 The analysts said: We have updated our model as guided by the PFS, but with added conservatism, and include the satellite pit scenario as per the expansion case. We have not yet modelled the underground beneath AG as we believe further drilling is required to better understand the requirements for selective mining in this underground. TIE has an aggressive target to commence construction mobilisation before the end of 2021 and first gold in late 2022. We model first gold in mid-2023. Valuation and recommendation The analysts said the company expected to deliver an updated resource next month which they assume will include more material in indicated to bolster higher conversion to reserves in a DFS in the September quarter. We maintain our SPECULATIVE BUY recommendation and have revised our price target to A$0.75/share (from A$0.80). Our valuation at spot is A$0.52/share. Our NPV12 valuation is on a fully diluted basis, now with no additional risking given the PFS adds more certainty to our assumptions. With an EV of A$100 million and a future funding requirement of ~A$270 million, TIE trades at an EV/CF of 1.7x on Year 1 production. Tietto shares have today traded up to A$0.32 while the company's market capitalisation is approximately A$141.1 million. A CCTV screenshot showing intruders dressed in black, one wielding a sledgehammer, damaging printing press equipment at the print shop of the Hong Kong edition of The Epoch Times on April 12, 2021. (Epoch Times) Canadian Lawmakers Condemn Attack on Hong Kong Epoch Times Printing Press Several Canadian lawmakers have condemned the assault on the Hong Kong Epoch Times printing facility, calling on the Chinese regime to respect freedom of the press. Four masked men barged into the Epoch Times printing facility in Hong Kong on April 12, smashing equipment with sledgehammers and dumping construction debris onto machines. The attack caused the facility to temporarily suspend operations. I was shocked to learn that there was such a blatant attack. This is a direct violation of international norms of protecting freedom of the press, freedom of speech, said MP James Bezan, the Conservative Partys shadow minister for national defence. Conservative MP James Bezan asks a question during question period in the House of Commons on Oct. 27, 2016. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Bezan described the attackers as thugs who are more than likely connected to the Communist Party of China, and said their act of violence was an attempt to deny the proper democratic processes in Hong Kong. This is just more evidence and proof that the Communist Party of China is more interested in stopping free speech, in destroying the norms of human right, and civil liberties that we enjoy throughout the democratic world, he said. We must all continue to stand together in the face of this tyranny thats coming right from the highest levels of Beijing. Independent Sen. Marilou McPhedran noted that freedom of the press is key to democracy and peace, and an attack on a free press that appears to be connected to the state that is trying to repress or silence media is a situation that concerns all of us in the world as global citizens. Independent Sen. Marilou McPhedran in Ottawa on Nov. 16, 2016. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang) This latest attack is an indicator of the very serious decline in Hong Kong, McPhedran said. And again, we see China as the chief bully of the world. The Conservative Partys foreign affairs critic Michael Chong earlier condemned the attack, and called on Ottawa to speak out against the Chinese regimes crackdown on freedom of the press in Hong Kong. This attack follows Beijings ban on the BBC from broadcasting in China, and the expulsion of dozens of foreign journalists from mainland China, Chong said in a statement. The suppression of an independent press in China is concerning. Conservatives call on the Trudeau government to stand up and speak out against Beijings crackdown in Hong Kong and on a free press. Conservative MP Michael Chong rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Dec. 10, 2020. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press) This latest attack marks the fifth time that the Epoch Times Hong Kong office has been attacked. Most recently in November 2019, intruders wielding batons started a fire in the printing warehouse, causing extensive damage. This criminal act that took place on April 12ththe second on the facility in the last eighteen monthsis the latest development in Hong Kongs ever-increasing crackdown on fundamental freedoms and human rightsparticularly, in this case, freedom of the press and freedom of expression, Conservative Sen. Thanh Hai Ngo said in a statement. Conservative Sen. Thanh Hai Ngo in a file photo. (Ren Qiaosheng/The Epoch Times) Screenshot of statement by Conservative Sen. Thanh Hai Ngo. (The Epoch Times) I categorically condemn this brutal attack on the printing press of The Epoch Timesknown for its independent, honest and uncensored coverage of China and the Chinese Communist Party, Ngo said. We can only safeguard these values by ensuring that all media is able to publish freely, without fear of violent retribution. Conservative MP Kenny Chiu rises during question period in the House of Commons on April 13, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Conservative MP Kenny Chiu said the people of Hong Kong shouldnt be subjected to violent attacks like what occurred in The Epoch Times facility in Hong Kong, and said freedom of the press should be upheld. I know that for The Epoch Times, they have sustained multiple attacks already. And thats something that people from around the world, from free democratic countries like CanadaI can certainly understand how repugnant that is, and would like to denounce any such activity, he said. Conservative MP Aarnold Viersen. Conservative MP Arnold Viersen also joined the chorus of voices against the attack on freedom of the press. I am alarmed by these latest reports of attacks on media like The Epoch Times, Viersen said. I am calling on the Liberal government to stand up and speak out against Beijings crackdown in Hong Kong and on a free press. With reporting by NTD Television. A crowd watches Cera Rivers apply icing to the last of 512 cupcakes that make up a Canadian flag during Canada Day celebrations on July 1, 2017 in Richmond, British Columbia. Richmond is the most ethnically Chinese city in the world outside Asia, and home to large numbers of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese immigrants. AFP People of Hong Kong origin in Canada have been urged to declare themselves as Hongkongers, and not only Chinese, on the national census next month, in an effort by activists to preserve the diaspora's "unique identity". The "I Am Hong Konger" campaign, launched this week, asks immigrants and their descendants to specify their Hong Kong origins in the sections of the census questionnaire about ethnicity and place of birth. The campaigners remind respondents that they can list multiple origins, such as Chinese or Taiwanese. They are also urged to specify whether they speak Cantonese. Campaigner Crispin Chow said in a press release that he felt as if the Hong Kong identity was "under threat and being erased". "Hongkongers have a different culture, we have a different language. We want to show that we exist," he said. There were 215,750 Hong Kong-born people in Canada at the time of the last census in 2016. That was an increase for the first time since 1996, and a reverse of the flow that has resulted in 300,000 Canadian citizens living in Hong Kong. However, no official figures track the number of people of Hong Kong descent. The fact of the matter is that multiple identities could and do coexist. In other words, one could be both a Chinese and a HongkongerProfessor Leo Shin The long form of the 2021 census lists 11 ethnicities, including Chinese - but not Hongkonger - from which respondents can choose, as well as "other group", which respondents can specify. Vancouver police separate supporters and opponents of the Hong Kong protest movement at duelling rallies on August 17, 2019. AFP Hong Kong-born Heiky Kwan, who lives in Vancouver, said she would be "checking myself off as a Hongkonger and as an Asian if there's that field, but am still struggling to see if I will check the box and identify as a Chinese." Kwan, who was six when she moved to Canada with her family in 1996, said she didn't "100 per cent identify myself as Chinese". "A lot of the things that are being marketed to me as being 'Chinese' - I don't really identify with the lived experience of being a Chinese person," she said. "I don't want to see Cantonese or the Hong Kong culture just fade away. "It worries me. If we don't preserve it, in a few generations, will any of us be able to read traditional characters, will no one know how to speak Cantonese?" The campaigners say they want the Canadian government to recognise "Hongkonger" as an "official identity". "Without reliable statistics and disaggregated data, service providers, policymakers and community organisations are unable to serve the needs of this unique population," they said in an email. The campaign's website also says it seeks to increase civic participation by Hong Kong Canadians, and strengthen their identity and a sense of unity Professor Leo Shin, who started the Hong Kong Studies Initiative (HKSI) at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in 2017, said the sentiments of Hongkongers in Canada towards their identity were "an extension of what is happening in Hong Kong". "When people feel that an important part of their identities is being erased, it is only natural for them to seek to protect it," he said. Professor Leo Shin is convenor of the Hong Kong Studies Initiative at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. South China Morning Post MAMARONECK, N.Y., April 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shapiro Auctions is pleased to announce its April 24th and 25th auction of International Fine and Decorative art. This auction will usher in spring with over 900 lots spanning a wide range of categories from painting and jewelry to furniture and decorative items, from the 19th century to contemporary. The auction will take place live beginning at 10 am each day. One of the highlights of the sale is a new-to-market work by the Austrian Expressionist Alfons Walde, estimated at $200,000-300,000. The work comes from the estate of Austrian art collectors and entrepreneurs Kamillo and Aenne Koelblinger (Kolblinger), whose family has owned it for four generations. This quintessentially Waldean painting, entitled Bauernsonntag (Farmer's Sunday), is among the artist's most recognizable work the 1920s and 1930s. Set against the brilliantly white snow and blue skies of the Tyrolean Alps, it depicts a pair of robust men gazing, as if mid-sentence, beyond the confines of the painting. Walde's formal rigor, from the abbreviated rectilinear figures to the limited but striking color palette, produces an impactful high-contrast image, equally deferential to the landscape and to its admirers. This auction features a comprehensive and varied sampling of Russian Non-Conformist painting and works on paper, including: Oscar Rabin's astounding commemorative portrait of close friend and compatriot Evgeny Rukhin (also featured), a fantastic tryptich by Leonid Purygin, and many representative pieces by Oleg Tselkov, Mikhail Chemiakin, Vladimir Nemukhin, Rostislav Lebedev, Leonid Lamm and Vyacheslav Kalinin. The offering is complemented by sculpture, most notably the 15-piece "Birth of a Hero" suite by Grisha Bruskin, a monumental cast bronze figure by Ernst Neizvestny, and a kinetic painted wooden piece by Leonid Sokov. A large-scale still life composition by Yuri Kuper, three scenes by Natalia Nesterova, and a Vladimir Ovchinnikov are also not to be missed. Shapiro Auctions is proud to continue in its role as one of the market leaders for David Burliuk, the inimitable and eccentric father of Russian Futurism. The ten lots feature vibrant colors generously applied with Burliuk's characteristically vigorous impasto. The diverse assortment, spanning several of his periods and styles, includes an hommage to Burliuk's artistic hero Van Gogh (the portrait is styled as Dr. Gachet in the "Night Cafe," now in the Yale Collection), Burliuk's own painted easel, and a number of floral arrangements, peasant scenes, and landscapes. The included portraits speak to the breadth of Burliuk's social circle and influence: one depicts Lucy Manievich, daughter of Abraham Manievich whose masterful streetscapes and a self-portrait are likewise presented and another a red pencil-drawn portrait of the artist Joseph Stella (signed by sitter and portraitist). Eminent Russian expatriate artists are well-represented in works by the husband-and-wife duo of Mikhail Larionov and Natalia Goncharova, Serge Soudeikine, Alexandra Exter, Ivan Puni, as well as a sought-after Marc Chagall lithograph from the 1967 Nice et la Cote d'Azur suite. Rounding the selection of Russian fine art is a group of three paintings by the highly coveted Social Realists Georgy Nissky, Aleksandr Gerasimov and Sergey Shishko, from the collection of prolific Ukrainian composer Yuliy Meitus (1903-1997), best known for his many operas, film scores, orchestral pieces and hundreds of songs. In continuation of its expertise with Southeast Asian artists, Shapiro Auctions is pleased to showcase works by Vietnamese-French Modernists Le Pho, Vu Cao Dam, and Mai Trung Thu. The trio began their careers on a similar path, having started their studies at the Hanoi Ecole des Beaux-Art l'Indochine and later moving to Paris. Though developed with an air of western Post-Impressionism, their paintings never relinquish the stunning tones and subjects of their home country. Also included are a number of works by contemporary Burmese painters. The sale will make available for bidding three paintings by Martiros Saryan (one dates to his exceedingly rare French period) from the estate of Levon Airapetian, which Shapiro Auctions is honored to present, and another work from a private collection. Other Modern Armenian paintings by the likes of Arsene Chabanian, Georges Terzian, Leon Tutunjian, and Hrair Derbekian are sure to capture attention. The auction is truly international in scope, with notable artists as varied as Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant, Maxime Maufra, Nikolai Sverchkov, Vitaly Tikhov, Bibi Zogbe, Francois Gall, Nicola Simbari, Hunt Slonem, Francis Speight and Michel Simonidy. Both days of the sale will likewise feature Faberge objets de vertu, rare Meissen figurines, a number of extensive silver and blanc de chine services, marble and bronze sculptures, antique Russian and European porcelain, timepieces, and a group of 16th-19th century furniture exhibited in and sold for the benefit of the Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York. Bidders may register on the Shapiro Auction app, via email at [email protected], or by telephone at 212-717-7500. Media Contact: Shapiro Auctions [email protected] 2127177500 Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12866076 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Shapiro Auctions As concern about more infectious COVID-19 variants continues growing, federal officials are directing more resources toward identifying the mutated strains that have now taken root in most U.S. states. Officials with the White Houses COVID-19 response team announced that a $1.7 billion investment is being made in genomic sequencing efforts at the local, state and federal levels. Genomic sequencing, which is inherently costly and resource-intensive, uses technology to analyze and identify the genetic makeup of a virus through samples taken from humans. Today, we are announcing a $1.7 billion investment for the CDC and state and local public health departments to monitor, track, and defeat emerging threats whether its COVID-19 variants today or other viruses in the future through a process known as genomic sequencing, the White Houses COVID-19 response team tweeted on Friday. Today, we are announcing a $1.7 billion investment for the CDC and state and local public health departments to monitor, track, and defeat emerging threats -- whether its COVID-19 variants today or other viruses in the future -- through a process known as genomic sequencing. White House COVID-19 Response Team (@WHCOVIDResponse) April 16, 2021 Federal officials say the funding is made possible through the American Rescue Plan. Officials hope the funds will help authorities and their private sector partners detect COVID variants faster in an effort to keep pace with the spread. Right now, variants account for nearly half of all U.S. COVID-19 cases and we need more capacity to identify and track them, officials tweeted. Roughly 44% of the COVID-positive samples collected through Centers for Disease Control and Preventions genomic surveillance between March 14 and March 27 nationwide were confirmed as the so-called U.K. variant, according to new data published this week. The presence of the U.K. variant, also called B.1.1.7, as a percentage of overall cases that have been sequenced appears to be doubling every two-week reporting period, indicating widespread transmission. In Massachusetts, roughly 30% of COVID-positive samples sequenced over a four-week period were confirmed as cases of B.1.1.7 variant. But less than 2% of overall cases in Massachusetts are currently sequencing for variants, making it impractical to identify all the mutant infections. To date, the CDC has identified 1,100 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in Massachusetts; 102 cases of the P.1 variant that originated from Brazil; and 12 cases of the B.1351 variant that originated from South Africa. Unofficially, the New York City variant has also been detected in Massachusetts. Nationwide, more than 40,000 COVID-positive samples have been sequenced and collected through CDCs national genomic surveillance program since Dec 20, 2020. Related Content: Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 72F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 51F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Photo: Colin Dacre Amid a spike in anti-Asian hate crimes, Burnaby RCMP is urging victims to report such incidents to police. Burnaby saw a 350% jump in such offences during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release Thursday. In 2019, the detachment responded to six hate crimes with an Asian victim or target that number jumped to 27 in 2020, police said. Of all the hate-motivated offences reported to police in 2020, 63% (27 out of 43) were identified as having an Asian victim or target that was up from 30% (six out of 20) in 2019. Burnabys top cop, Supt. Graham De la gorgendiere, said the incidents have ranged from property damage, including offensive graffiti, to threats and assaults. Throughout the past year, our officers have continued to monitor this increase, he said. When notified of a possible hate crime, our officers are instructed to respond and conduct a thorough investigation. Victims of these offences can be reassured that their complaint will be taken seriously. The detachment has collaborated with the North Road Business Improvement Association and the City of Burnaby to distribute hate-crime awareness posters throughout the city in English, simplified Chinese, Punjabi and Korean in an effort to encourage victims of anti-Asian hate crimes to report incidents to police. There are also Burnaby RCMP officers who speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Malay, Thai and Japanese, according to the release, and the detachment has a system in place for reaching out to officers in neighbouring detachments who can speak to victims in their own language. One Burnaby Mountie who speaks both Cantonese and Mandarin is Cpl. Freda Fong. We want individuals who belong to our Asian communities to feel comfortable, she said in the release. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of hate crime, the Burnaby RCMP is here to help. To request a poster, contact the Burnaby crime prevention unit at 604-646-9811 or [email protected] To learn more about what hate crimes are and what you can do if you are a victim or a witness to a hate crime, visit the province's Hate Has No Place in B.C. website. Capt Gregory Ball, USAFR, Ph.D. Since the 1960s, the relationship between the United States and Libya was marred by accusations of terrorist activity and charges of weapons smuggling and espionage. Tensions between the two nations came to a head in 1986. In January of that year, the United States broke off diplomatic relations with Libya. In March, the U.S. Navy retaliated after Libyan forces launched surface to air missiles at Navy aircraft. On April 2, 1986, the United States government blamed Libya for the deaths of four people who were killed when a bomb exploded on TWA flight 840 over Argos, Greece. Finally, terrorists bombed the La Belle Discotheque in West Berlin on April 5, killing one U.S. soldier and wounding more than 200 people. The United States claimed exact, precise, and irrefutable evidence of Libyan involvement and launched Operation EL DORADO CANYON. Operation EL DORADO CANYON was a long range strike at terrorist centers in Libya developed by planners at the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) in England. The operation started on April 14, 1986, when 24 U.S. Air Force F-111s departed Royal Air Force (RAF) Base Lakenheath along with five EF-111s from RAF Heyford. The F-111s faced a 3,500 mile flight with four aerial refueling each way due to flight restrictions. As the aircraft approached Libya, two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, the USS Coral Sea and the USS America, launched 14 A-6E strike aircraft and 12 F/A-18 and A-7 strike support aircraft. At 6:54 pm eastern standard time, the EF-111 aircraft commenced electronic countermeasures against Libyan air defenses, while the Navy support aircraft provided surface to air missile (SAM) suppression. At 7:00 pm, the attacking Navy aircraft struck Benina Airfield and the Benghazi military barracks, while 13 Air Force F-111s struck the Aziziyah barracks in Tripoli and the Sidi Bilal terrorist training camp. The final strike of the mission was conducted by five Air Force F-111s, which attacked the Tripoli military airport. Unfortunately, only four of the F-111s successfully dropped their bombs. Seven others missed their targets, while six encountered mechanical problems or did not drop because of stringent rules of engagement. After leaving the target area, there were reports that one F-111 had been shot down. By 7:53 pm, all Navy aircraft had returned to their carriers. When the F-111s linked up with the tankers for their first return aerial refueling, they confirmed that one F-111 had been lost. Enroute back to England, one F-111 diverted to Rota, Spain, because of an overheated engine. Search and rescue efforts for the missing F-111 lasted throughout April 15, but were terminated that evening with negative results. Both pilots were later confirmed killed. Although the mission was deemed a success, it was not without controversy. The Navy later claimed that the entire operation could have been accomplished using Navy assets. Furthermore, the commander of the 48th TFW believed that the original concept of a small group of F-111s had grown too large, leading him to believe that there was little chance to surprise the Libyan defenses and the number of aircraft would allow air defenses time to concentrate on the second wave of attackers. However, proponents of the larger strike force believed it would do significantly greater damage to the targets and was worth the risk. The attack killed 37 people and left 93 injured. Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi and appeared visibly shaken when he appeared on television 24 hours later to protest the strikes. Operation EL DORADO CANYON showed that the Air Force could successfully make precision strikes against targets thousands of miles away, an early example of the U.S. Air Forces Global Reach capability. Problems encountered during the operation were also addressed, and five years later the F-111s Pave Tack targeting system destroyed more targets than any other aircraft during Operation DESERT STORM. For more information see: Raid on Libya, Operation El Dorado Canyon, by Judy G. Endicott, in Short of War USAF Contingency Operations 1947-1997. This unpublished AFHSO study by William T. YBlood: Libyan Chronology, 1969 to 1986. Read this article in the March 199 Air Force Magazine, by Walter J. Boyne: El Dorado Canyon. [April 16, 2021] Climate change investment approach has North American investors trailing the world: PGIM survey Institutional investors in North America significantly lag their counterparts in Europe when it comes to taking action and adapting their portfolios in response to climate change-but more reliable data, clearer regulatory standards and stakeholder activism can push them to narrow the gap, according to a new survey from PGIM, the $1.5 trillion global investment management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210416005002/en/ Taimur Hyat, Chief Operating Officer, PGIM (Photo: Business Wire) PGIM's survey, conducted in partnership with Greenwich Associates, polled 101 institutional investors throughout North America, Europe and Asia with greater than $3 billion in assets under management and found that 90% believe climate change is an important issue for their organization. However, among North American investors, only 47% actively incorporate climate change into their investment processes, compared to over 80% of investors in Europe. "North American investors recognize that climate change is emerging as a material factor but are still in the early stages of adjusting their investment processes and allocations to account for this," says Taimur Hyat, chief operating officer for PGIM. "The big shift in climate change thinking in the U.S. will come when investors recognize that incorporating climate factors into the investment process is essential for optimal risk-return decisions, regardless of whether you tilt towards ESG objectives or not." Investors say doing good requires good data While over two-thirds of European and Asia-Pacific investors state they have integrated climate change into their investment process because it is the right thing to do, in NorthAmerica, fewer than 1 in 3 investors share this view. Even respondents who think climate change is a real and relevant problem say a lack of reliable data and analytic models makes it difficult to evaluate the impact on their portfolios. Fewer than a quarter think existing climate change models are effective, and less than 10% are currently utilizing these tools in their decision-making processes. "One of the primary causes of the action gap appears to be uncertainty about climate models and analytics," says Davis Walmsley, Greenwich Associates head of client relationships, investment management. "This may be an area where better understanding and deployment of existing data and analytics may encourage more investors to incorporate climate change into their portfolios." The tide is turning as investors act on climate Despite these gaps, institutional investors are making progress in addressing the issue of climate change. Just over half the institutions surveyed that have incorporated climate change into their investment process have started avoiding investments that might contribute to climate change, and about 40% are proactively pursuing investments that mitigate the impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, many other study participants are in the process of analyzing climate-related risks and opportunities, assessing the materiality of climate change to their portfolios and identifying possible portfolio responses. "The good news is that, the trend line shows institutional investors around the world recognize the importance of climate change," says Hyat. "They are building climate change into their investment processes and creating frameworks for evaluating both the impact of their investments on the climate, and the impact of climate change on their investments." For the full survey results, read the report: "Seeking Higher Ground: Institutional Investors Respond to Climate Change." ABOUT PGIM PGIM, the global asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), ranks among the top 10 largest asset managers in the world* with $1.5 trillion in assets under management as of Dec. 31, 2020. With offices in 16 countries, PGIM's businesses offer a range of investment solutions for retail and institutional investors around the world across a broad range of asset classes, including public fixed income, private fixed income, fundamental equity, quantitative equity, real estate and alternatives. For more information about PGIM, visit pgim.com. Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI) of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom, or with Prudential Assurance Company, a subsidiary of M&G plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom. For more information please visit news.prudential.com. *Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI) is the 10th largest investment manager (out of 527 firms surveyed) in terms of global assets under management based on Pensions & Investments' Top Money Managers list published on June 1, 2020. This ranking represents global assets under management by PFI as of March 31, 2020. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210416005002/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kolkata: Over one crore voters in West Bengal will decide the political fate of 342 candidates on Saturday, when 45 assembly constituencies go to polls in the fifth phase, amid a raging second wave of COVID-19. Security measures have been heightened for phase five in view of the violence in the previous phase, which witnessed the death of five people in Cooch Behar, including four in CISF firing. The Election Commission has decided to deploy at least 853 companies of central forces to ensure free and fair voting, an official of the poll panel said. It will also put in place measures to ensure strict adherence of COVID-19 protocols during the voting process, he said. West Bengal on Thursday recorded the highest single-day spike of 6,769 coronavirus cases and at least 22 more fatalities. Prominent names in the fifth phase include Siliguri Mayor and Left Front leader Ashok Bhattacharya, state ministers Gautam Deb and Bratya Basu and BJP's Samik Bhattacharya. Voting will be held at 15,789 polling stations in the 45 constituencies 16 seats in North 24 Parganas, eight each in Purba Bardhaman and Nadia, seven in Jalpaiguri, five in Darjeeling and one in Kalimpong district. The phase is crucial for the ruling Trinamool Congress, which is hoping to better its 2016 tally of 32 seats, even as a resurgent BJP looks to make inroads. The Left-Congress alliance had bagged 10 seats in the assembly elections five years ago. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who had Thursday urged the EC to consider conducting the polls for the remaining assembly seats at one go in the wake of the emerging COVID-19 situation, held several public meetings and roadshows in most of the seats in the run-up to the fifth phase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah led the campaign blitzkrieg of the BJP, which has fortified itself as TMC's main challenger in this election. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, too, has held two public meetings in north Bengal as part of his first campaign in the state for the assembly polls. Campaigning for the fifth phase ended on Wednesday with the EC having increased the 'silence period' from 48 to 72 hours in view of the Cooch Behar violence. Elections have been held in 135 constituencies so far, and the remaining 159 seats are set to go to polls between April 17 and 29. Live TV This announcement is available as a one-page PDF to hang on your class bulletin board. Every year since 2010, The Learning Network has invited teenagers around the world to add The New York Times to their summer reading lists. So far, more than 70,000 have done so. If you are looking for ways to offer students more voice and choice, we hope our open-ended contest can help. Every week, we ask participants to choose something in The Times that has piqued their interest, and then tell us why. At the end of the week, judges from the Times newsroom pick their favorite responses, and we publish them. Its that simple. Though our goals include some that appear on many educators lists helping students become more aware of the world and their place in it; learning how to navigate sophisticated nonfiction; and practicing writing for an audience we also hope that students will realize that reading the newspaper can be fun. As youll see in the guidelines below, they can choose anything that was published on NYTimes.com in 2021. The subject matter isnt important; we just care about why they chose it. Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Canadians have watched for months as former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and the Liberal Party have exchanged furtive glances and batted their eyelashes at one another. The romance came out into the open last week when Carney delivered a speech to the Liberal convention, in which he took several digs at the Conservative Party and pledged to do whatever I can to support the Liberal Party in our efforts to build a better future for Canadians. Opinion Canadians have watched for months as former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and the Liberal Party have exchanged furtive glances and batted their eyelashes at one another. The romance came out into the open last week when Carney delivered a speech to the Liberal convention, in which he took several digs at the Conservative Party and pledged to "do whatever I can to support the Liberal Party in our efforts to build a better future for Canadians." Carney presumably did not mean by this that he intends to bake cupcakes to sell at party fundraisers. Indeed, it has been an open secret for some time that Carney was likely to take the plunge into federal politics and run with the Liberal Party. The lack of an open seat will make it difficult for Carney to make his way into Justin Trudeaus cabinet. Perhaps Trudeau can convince a sitting Liberal MP to take early retirement, and Carney can run in the ensuing byelection? Trudeau could also appoint Carney to the cabinet even before he is elected to the House of Commons, although convention dictates that this would be a short, stop-gap measure. But that raises a question: why should Carney or anyone else get a free ride into Parliament? If Carney wants to be a politician, he should have to do what almost every other MP did before being elected: win a local nomination contest for the right to run as a Liberal candidate. Political scientist Ken Carty sees Canadian parties as essentially an ongoing deal between party members and the party leader. On one hand, party leaders are given the right to shape the policy of the party, including their election platforms. We saw this principle in action over the last few weeks when all three federal parties held virtual conventions at which party members debated and voted on policy resolutions. While members gave thumbs-up to some eyebrow-raising policy ideas, they are non-binding and party leaders are free to ignore or even contradict them. This raw deal for party members, Carty argues, comes with a big consolation prize. In return for allowing leaders to shape policy, party members get the right to select party candidates. So in Canadian parties, it is party members in the constituencies, not the leader, who vote to decide who will run for the party in subsequent elections. Nomination contests can be low-key acclamations or massive, dramatic, competitive races where supporters sign up new members and bus them to whatever gym or community centre is the locale where votes are counted. They are remarkable democratic events in our country. And, normally, incumbent MPs must win renomination, creating the possibility for MPs who ignore local needs and preferences to be challenged and beaten for the party nomination. While most party candidates in Canada are selected by party members, there are exceptions. Party committees can "red light" prospective candidates if they uncover embarrassing information from their past. Party leaders must sign off on candidates. In the most extreme cases, party leaders can override local members and appoint candidates, effectively parachuting them into the role. Leaders do so at the cost of alienating local members and activists. When party leaders use their power to bypass local nominations, who do they tend to parachute in? Sometimes, party leaders use this power to diversify the candidate pool, adding women and members of traditionally disadvantaged groups. But in research I conducted with political scientist Amanda Bittner, we found party leaders primarily use this power to appoint star candidates people with a high public profile who it is felt should not have to endure the indignity of running in a local nomination race. Further, we found that these stars overwhelmingly went on to be cabinet ministers once elected. In the meantime, the lowly MPs who won the right to run for the party fair and square in a local nomination race were less likely to make it into cabinet and more likely to shoulder low-profile parliamentary work such as sitting on committees. Im no fan of this two-tiered system of democracy. Neither was Stephane Dion when he was leader of the Liberal Party. Rather than giving Justin Trudeau a free pass into Parliament, Dion made him fight in a contested nomination race in a working-class Montreal seat. Trudeau won the nomination and went on to defeat the incumbent Bloc Quebecois MP. In the process, he proved his mettle to some Liberals who had previously seen him as a lightweight. Hopefully, Trudeau will give Carney the same opportunity. Parachuting him into a safe Liberal seat and then into cabinet would be both unfair and democratically dubious. If Carney wants to be an MP, he should have to secure the endorsement of local party members in some constituency, just like the vast majority of MPs including Trudeau were required to do. Royce Koop is an associate professor in the department of political studies and co-ordinator of the Canadian studies program at the University of Manitoba. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Prince William community has proven resilient. The Prince William Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Prince William Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 39-year-old Cleveland woman is charged in a deadly beating of a man at an East Cleveland automotive store. Tiffany Gardner is charged with murder in the incident that happened about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday outside AutoZone at Euclid and Shaw avenues, East Cleveland police said. East Cleveland police detectives arrested her Friday morning at her Cleveland home. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office identified the 70-year-old man as Leonard Edward Craddock. Police say Gardner beat Craddock to death. Police originally reported that he was 60-years-old. Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene. Investigators say witnesses at the scene told them there was an argument about money but its uncertain if the victim was attempting to take money from Gardners purse or by some other means. Gardner is being held in East Cleveland City Jail pending her initial court appearane. Read more crime stories on cleveland.com: Here are some of the police shootings in Cleveland since the 2014 killing of Tamir Rice Feds arrest man accused of trying to run over Euclid police officer Lakewood police charge teen in shooting at Madison Park Cleveland police release body camera of officer who fatally shot man Kent man accused of injuring Stow police officer in hit-and-run during chase arrested in Cleveland Environment: WWF launches 'People and Cork' plan in Tunisia For development of cork oak and community Krumirie-Mogods (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, APRIL 16 - Contributing to the restoration of the forest landscape of the cork oak that is disappearing from the region of Kroumirie Mogods, in northwestern Tunisia, and valorizing the national landscape are the objectives of the project 'People and cork'. The project on Thursday was launched virtually by WWF North Africa, together with the Institut Sylvo-Pastoral of Tabarka and the general direction of forestry of the Tunisian agriculture ministry, which will last 24 months, and will involve the governors of Jendouba, Beja and Bizerte, with a budget of 150,000 euros provided by the Mava Foundation. The coordinator of the project at WWW North Africa Tunisia, Imen Khemiri, explained that the project vies to promote cultural and natural practices on the traditional and sustainable use of oak forests in the region of Kroumirie-Mogods, as well as promoting the potential of forests in the region through communication, supporting policies for research and the promotion of sustainable and innovative economic initiatives. 'People and Cork' vies to optimize the involvement of local populations in preserving the national potential of cork oaks by improving knowledge on connections between cultural practices and biodiversity, as well as strengthening the local ability to improve management practices and the sustainability of forest landscape of cork-oaks. The coordinator of the project also said that a museum dedicated to the valorization if cork oak will be created in Tabarka, in collaboration with the local administration. A communication strategy will also be developed along with a landscape catalogue of the cork oak forest with the special trademark 'Wild Tunisia'. (ANSAmed). Former US Ambassador to India has been appointed as General Counsel and Head of Global Public Policy of Mastercard, according to an announcement by the American multinational corporation. The announcement on Thursday from came as it appointed Tim Murphy, the company's general counsel, to the newly created position of chief administrative officer. said Verma, currently executive vice president for Global Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs, has been promoted to General Counsel and Head of Global Public Policy. He will now lead the company's core legal and regulatory functions, as well as its global and regional public policy teams. Verma will also join the Mastercard's Management Committee, the media release said. Verma, 52, served as US Ambassador to India from 2014 to 2017. The first and only Indian American to serve in this position so far, Verma joined in October 2020, bringing more than 25 years of international experience across senior levels of business, law, diplomacy and the military. In just a few short months, Rich has had a true impact on our engagement with policymakers and others across the globe. We'll look to continue to tap into his extensive experience in public policy, geopolitics, trade and international law, and strong relationships to support the global move to a digital economy, said Murphy in a statement. (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.) Apr. 15TUPELO A Tennessee man faces multiple felony charges after leading police on a 4-mile pursuit through Tupelo, Wednesday afternoon. The chase ended with a three-vehicle wreck and the suspect assaulting at least one Tupelo police officer. Benjamin Lawrence Mangrum, 37, of 5368 Hargrove Road, Franklin, Tennessee, was booked into the Lee County Jail April 14 at 4:19 p.m. and charged with assaulting a police officer, felony fleeing, possession of a Schedule I drug and two misdemeanor traffic offenses a tint violation and reckless driving. Police spokesman Capt. Chuck McDougald said members of the Tupelo Police Department Street Crimes Unit attempted to stop a gold Infinity sedan for a traffic infraction on North Gloster just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday. According to police, the suspect fled north on Gloster, then took McCullough Boulevard to get on Highway 45 South. The chase then headed west on Main Street. The suspect vehicle collided with two uninvolved vehicles at the intersection of West Main and Rankin before running off the road. "The adult male driver of the vehicle fled on foot but was quickly apprehended by officers," McDougald said. "That suspect did assault an officer by striking him in the face as they were attempting to apprehend him." McDougald was unable to offer any details on the officer's injuries but said he remained on duty for the rest of his shift. An adult from one of the other vehicles involved in the accident was carried to the North Mississippi Medical Center for what appeared to be minor injuries, law enforcement officials said. There were three other adults in the suspect vehicle who were also detained. Officials said one adult female passenger is also facing drug charges. According to the county jail docket, a 41-year-old white female was booked at the same time as Mangrum on misdemeanor charges. She was released on $2,100 bond just after 8 p.m. the same day. There are no details yet on any charges for remaining passengers. william.moore@djournal.com Bengaluru, April 16 : In the wake of an exponential spurt in Covid cases that has resulted in enforcement of night curfew, the Bruhat Bengaluru Hoteliers Association (BBHA) demanded the Karnataka government provide them exemption on property tax, electricity bills, and excise license fees to help them survive during the second year of the pandemic. According to the memorandum submitted by BBHA President P.C. Rao to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday, the association stated that even as the hotel industry was readying itself to stabilise itself from the losses experienced during the Covid-induced lockdown last fiscal 2020-21, the second wave of Covid has hit the industry again. "Measures like 50 per cent seating rule and night curfew has only rubbed salt on the ailing hotel industry, which is yet to recover fully," he said. The BBHA has demanded 50 per cent exemption in license charges of the Karnataka Pollution Control Board, and food Safety and charges levied as per the Karnataka Shops and Establishments Act. Rao added that they were not against the government's decisions aimed to curb pandemic, but at the same time, one cannot ignore the fact that they were experiencing an estimated 30 per cent loss of business due to the new restrictions (night curfew) enforced by the state government. He said that Karnataka should enforce the night curfew on the lines of Tamil Nadu. "Tamil Nadu has imposed night curfew from 11 p.m. which is a more sensible decision. If the night curfew starts at 10 p.m. like it is in Karnataka, the hoteliers will have started preparing closing their hotels by 9 p.m. itself. As a hotel or bar needs at least 30 to 40 minutes to serve a customer. Therefore, the BBHA had been asking Karnataka to change the night curfew timing from 11 p.m., instead of 10 p.m.," he said. He also thanked the Karnataka government for agreeing to their demand to consider hotel industry workers as frontline workers and administer them Covid vaccines free of cost, noting that the hotel industry had been in the forefront of fighting the pandemic by offering its many of its properties for Covid Care Centres. Apr. 15The Skowhegan man charged with fraudulently obtaining a $60,000 loan from the Paycheck Protection Program made his first appearance in federal court in Bangor on Thursday and was released on $5,000 unsecured bail. Nathan Reardon, 43, formerly of Brewer, is charged with bank fraud and attempted wire fraud in a national emergency. He is the first Mainer charged with illegally obtaining a loan intended to help businesses pay employees and other expenses during the early days of the pandemic. Reardon was not asked to enter pleas to the charges because he has not yet been indicted by a federal grand jury. Conditions of his release include not applying for pandemic-related assistance without the approval of U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services. He would not have to post $5,000 cash as bail unless he violates conditions of his release. A trial date has not been set. Reardon's purchases with the illegally obtained loan included a men's 14-carat yellow gold wedding band, clothing, shaving products, toys, an LED barber pole light and a pair of caiman skin cowboy boots, a court affidavit said. Caimans are a species related to alligators found in Central and South America. Reardon also allegedly used the money to pay his lawyer and a local veterinarian, make donations to a Florida church and shop online. In addition, he withdrew more than $10,000 of the loan in cash, the complaint said. Reardon applied for a PPP loan for his business, Global Disruptive Technologies Inc. on April 3, 2020, one week after Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act that provided money for PPP loans through private lending institutions, the affidavit said. Reardon sought the loan through TD Bank in Bangor where he had a checking account. In applying for the loan, he falsely claimed the business had an average monthly payroll of $23,658, according to the court document. In reality, Reardon paid employees $1,353 during the first quarter of 2020, the investigator found. The business' website says that it has started and grown more than 70 companies since 1999. Story continues The loan program allowed businesses to receive funds worth up to 2.5 times their monthly payroll. Reardon allegedly received a loan of $59,145 based on false information. When the loan was approved and the money was transferred to Reardon's account on April 22, 2020, it had a negative balance of more than $4,000, the complaint said. Despite having signed the loan agreement that said he understood the company could apply only once for a PPP loan, Reardon allegedly applied again on behalf of Global Disruptive Technologies on April 30, 2020, using the same false information he'd submitted before. The bank denied that application but mistakenly released another $59,145 to Reardon's account on May 4, 2020, the affidavit said. Two days later, TD Bank identified the error and placed a freeze on the remaining $28,000 in the account. Reardon allegedly tried unsuccessfully to obtain PPP loans for two other businesses, Choice Auto and Membership Holdings, according to the court document. All three businesses were registered in Florida but used a Brewer address. The investigation that led to the charges found that "neither Reardon nor his companies conducted business generating revenues in 2020." If convicted in federal court, Reardon faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. He also could be ordered to repay the amount of the loans, including the money he received mistakenly. Greys Anatomy actor Jesse Williams made his first appearance on the medical drama in season 6. Throughout his time on the show, viewers followed him from a surgical resident to the head of plastic surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial. Off-screen, Williams is an activist and often speaks out against injustices around the world. Although Williams fans think they know everything about the actor, some supporters might not know his actual height. Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery on Greys Anatomy|Richard Cartwright/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Jesse Williams was a teacher before Greys Anatomy RELATED: Greys Anatomy: Why Sarah Drew Said Her Partnership With Jesse Williams Is so Sweet but so Challenging Williams, 39, spent his childhood in Chicago. After growing up in an under-served community, he decided to attend Temple University, where he studied education. Once college ended, Williams followed in his parents footsteps and became a teacher. While teaching history to high school students, he learned more about the authentic moments that affected his community. In an interview with Essence, Williams said being an actor gave him more options to amplify historical events. I decided to participate in the storytelling process and learned that you can actually do a lot of good on camera by really giving voice to characters and storylines, he said. I started on stage in New York and did some Law & Order, Williams continued, followed by adding that he, got lucky a few times on some small roles, some cool films, and a little show called Greys Anatomy. The height of Greys Anatomy star Jesse Williams In season 6 of Greys Anatomy, Williams joined the cast as Jackson Avery. On the show, the resident was initially one of the intruders from a competing hospital, Mercy West. However, with the help of his mother, Catherine Avery (Debbie Allen), Jackson became one of the owners of Grey Sloan in season 9. RELATED: Greys Anatomy: Some Fans Believe 1 Cast Member Has Been Carrying the Show, and It Isnt Ellen Pompeo Throughout his time at Greys, Williams attracted some fans with his physique and facial features. The actors height is 61, and he doesnt shy away from showing off some skin on the ABC drama. In a 2015 interview with The Guardian, Williams explained that his physical appearance helped make him a celebrity. To some people, I might be a celebrity because Im physically attractive, he said. We are programmed to believe that someone is attractive because they told you that blue eyes are hot. I am not going to participate in that s**t, he said. I aim to do what I can with what I have. And I have my [looks] you know, European beauty standards give me access to things. How much does the Jackson Avery actor make on Greys? RELATED: Greys Anatomy: Chyler Leigh Once Revealed Why Lexie Grey Was Better off With Jackson Avery Than Mark Sloan Since becoming a series regular on Greys, Williams hasnt left the long-running series. In Dec. 2020, The Daily Mail reported that the actor receives $521,000 a month to play Jackson Avery. Additionally, he has a net worth of $6.25 million. In addition to acting, Williams models and appeared in several music videos in his career. Most notably, he played Rihannas love interest in her video for Russian Routette. California lawmakers rejected a bill that would have banned fracking in the state, succumbing to pressure from the powerful oil and gas industry and their labor union allies who warned the bill would have cost good-paying jobs. The bill was inspired in part by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last year announced the state would ban the sale of all new gas-powered cars by 2035. He also called on the state Legislature to ban new permits for fracking, a technique to extract oil and gas embedded in rock deep beneath the surface. Two Democratic state senators, Scott Wiener from San Francisco and Monique Limon from Santa Barbara, introduced legislation earlier this year that would have banned fracking by 2027. They later changed the bill to ban fracking by 2035. But it wasnt enough to win over some of their Democratic colleagues, who could not muster enough votes on Tuesday to advance the bill out of committee. The bill needed five votes to advance, but it only got four. Democratic Sen. Susan Eggman of Stockton joined two Republicans in voting against the bill, while two other Democrats, Robert Hertzberg of Van Nuys and Ben Hueso of Logan Heights, did not vote. There is a large stain on Californias climate record, and that is oil, Wiener said during a committee hearing on Tuesday. Aside from banning fracking and other similar oil extraction methods, the bill would have also imposed a 2,500 foot (762 meters) buffer between oil wells and places like homes and hospitals. It would have set up a state program designed to encourage companies to hire laid off oil and gas workers to help clean up closed wells. But those jobs wont pay as well as the oil and gas jobs they replace, said Rudy Gonzalez, secretary treasurer of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council. Our blue collar workers cant afford this right now, he said. Opponents noted California heavily regulates the oil and gas industry to make sure they extract oil safely. Banning the practice would not reduce Californias dependence on oil, driven by the tens of millions of gas-powered cars and trucks on the states roads, requiring it to import more oil from other places. Were still going to use it, but were going to use it from places that produce it less safely, Eggman said. She added she supports transitioning the state away from oil and gas, but cautioned: I dont think were quite there yet, and this bill assumes that we are. Wiener noted California is already dependent on foreign oil, saying the state imports about 70% of its supply. He said more than 2 million people in California live within 2,500 feet of an active oil well, putting them more at risk for health problems like asthma, other respiratory diseases and cancer. Tuesdays vote means the proposal likely wont pass the Legislature this year. But in a joint statement after the hearing, Wiener and Limon said they are not giving up. This issue isnt going away, they said. Well continue to fight for aggressive climate action, against harmful drilling and for the health of our communities. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California One of France's most-popular grab-and-go meals these days looks more like a burrito or a panini, but they're called "tacos." "French tacos" are apparently so popular The New Yorker took a closer look in a deep dive article published earlier this week called "The Unlikely Rise of French Tacos." "The New Yorker" traced the origins of the French's spin on the Mexican delicacy to the snacks (small, independent restaurants) of the Rhone-Alpes region around the start of the 21st century. The French tacos have some similarities to actual tacos a tortilla is involved and so are a variety of protein choices. SWEET!: Texas baker creates completely edible bluebonnet Usually it's a flour tortilla, meat (typically halal) and other add-ons like fries, all doused in a cheese sauce. The stuffed tortilla is then folded into a packet and toasted, "The New Yorker" reported. The French tacos have commanded such a presence overseas that they are now embedded in pop culture. Rappers include references in lyrics and chain restaurants dedicated to French tacos have amassed a cult following on Instagram. Take for example O'Tacos, known as the "French Tacos Boss" with nearly 300 shops. The account has a whopping 316,000 followers. According to "The New Yorker," French trade experts expect the sandwich-taco hybrid will "without a doubt" be the "product that will drive the market for dining for the next ten years." READ ALSO: Shef is bringing Houstonians the taste of home The trend is not without controversy, though. French-based Mexican restaurateurs who spoke with publication do see the "tacos" as a form of cultural appropriation. Mercedes Ahumada, a chef from Mexico who owns a catering business in Paris, said she's shocked the French refer to the food as "tacos." "It's like if we made wine and started calling it 'Mexican champagne,'" she told the mag. Anyone interested in tasting what the French call "tacos" will likely have to wait awhile. French borders remain closed to U.S. travelers due to the pandemic. Lebanon is launching its first electric car - billed as cheap and green - but sceptics say subsidised power will count for little in a flat economy reliant on fossil fuels and struggling to attract investment into renewable energy. Designed by Lebanon's EV Electra, the coupe-style 'Rise' is the country's first foray into the electric car market, a fast-growing sector that promises to lower planet-warming emissions. Costing $30,000, the Rise reaches 180km (112 miles) an hour and goes on sale in Lebanon and Europe in late 2021, pending certification. But for all the hype around the sector's rising popularity, from Norway to China, the Rise faces a bumpy journey at home. The economy is in crisis, with just 62 new cars sold in the first two months of 2021, against 1,876 in the same period last year, according to local consultancy Information International. The car's green impact is also set to be diluted in a country reliant on fossil fuels for electricity, while frequent power outages do not bode well for reliability. Its maker is undaunted, saying state-subsidised power lends allure to a car with a price tag out of most locals' reach. "Lebanon's electricity is one of the cheapest in the world. Few people could dream of driving an electric car at these costs," CEO Jihad Mohammad said. "It's very competitive. You're driving at the expense of the state," former energy minister Cesar Abi Khalil told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Outgoing Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that subsidies on electricity would only be lifted when a new government introduces a financial recovery plan and wildly fluctuating exchange rates stabilise. Prices would then be "in line with what the consumers are willing to pay and able to afford", he said in written comments. Sales of electric cars have soared in many rich economies, promising eco-minded consumers low running costs coupled with a lower footprint. Powerless But Lebanon presents its own challenges. The country's power supply has been spotty since a 1975-1990 civil war and has only worsened in an 18-month economic crisis, with rolling blackouts a regular feature of life. Mostly old power plants produce some 2,000 megawatts of electricity yet peak summer demand tops 3,400. A fleet of privately-owned diesel generators fills the gap. When the power works, it's cheap; consumer power prices have not budged since the mid-1990s, even though costs have jumped. Consumers buy power for less than a 10th of production cost, giving EV Electra its key leverage. Mohammad also plans to install dozens of charging stations and let customers use them for free. The country generates roughly 95% of its power by burning heavy fuel oil, among the worst pollutants. Renewables, chiefly hydro-electric power, make up just a few percent. "An electric car is only as green as the electricity that powers it," said Carol Ayat, head of energy financing at Lebanon's Bank Audi. In countries with a cleaner energy mix, such as France and Sweden, electric cars had 70% less lifetime emissions than normal cars, according to a 2020 study. The Rise could even boost greenhouse gas emissions by increasing demand for electricity, said Ayat. Renewable Future Independent analyst Jessica Obeid said for any electric car to be sustainable, Lebanon needed effective solar charging and a reformed power sector centred on renewables. Lebanon missed a target of generating 12% its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 and is primed to miss a more ambitious goal of 30% by 2030. A wind power project is stalled almost a decade post-launch, with international lenders unwilling to pay for the project until a new Lebanese government embarks on long-overdue reforms. "Investments have stopped in all energy sectors including renewables," energy minister Ghajar said, adding that the 2030 target would be adjusted "based on market appetite and investor interest" once reforms are introduced by a new government. "Lebanon needs to double down on renewable energy ... because its the only natural resource we have domestically," Obeid told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "If we want a productive economy...renewable energy provides affordable solutions." This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Approximately 21 lives have been lost since the first man climbed into a rocket and jetted off into space 60 years ago, but as space agencies prepare for the first human mission to Mars many are sure the death toll is sure to rise. Astronauts heading to the Red Planet will spent at least seven months inside a capsule on a path never taken by humans and if they survive the journey to the Red Planet, they will then endure the harsh environment the Martian world. When a crew member dies, it would take months or years before the body is returned to Earth, raising one question: what happens to a person's body who dies in space? Experts have suggested a number of ways to dispose the body, including 'jettison' it into the dark abyss or burying the person on Mars but the remains would first need to be burned to not contaminate the surface. However, a worst case scenario has been presented where the space fairing heroes run out of food and the only thing edible is the dead body of their fallen crew mate. Scroll down for videos When a crew member dies, it would take months or years before the body is returned to Earth, raising one question: what happens to a person's body who dies in space? We are entering an exciting space age that many hope will lead to the first boots on Mars. However, as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk once said, 'if you want to go to Mars, prepare to die.' NASA does not have set protocols for dealing with death in space, but researchers around the world have put the work in to respectfully dispose of a fallen astronaut, as reported on by Popular Science. If a crew member dies while making the more than 170-million-mile journey to Mars, the body can be placed in the cold storage or freeze dried until the craft touches down. Experts have suggested a number of ways to dispose the body, including 'jettison' it into the dark abyss or burying the person on Mars but the remains would first need to be burned to not contaminate the surface Freeze drying in space is much different than on Earth the body would be held outside the capsule where space would cover it in ice. Ways Mars can kill you 1. Astronauts could die from radiation while traveling to Mars and after landing on the Red Planet 2. The spacecraft could crash while attempting to land on Mars 3. Mars' low gravity can cause medical issues such as bone loss 4. An astronaut's suit could tear while they are exploring Mars, which would end with them suffocating due to a lack of oxygen 5. The Martian soil contains high concentrations of salts that can damage the human body 6. Astronauts could be killed by fellow crew mates who go crazy on Mars Advertisement But if keeping it cold is not an option, the surviving crew can send their deceased mate out into space. Catherine Conley at NASA's Office of Planetary Protection told Popular Science: 'Currently, there are no specific guidelines in planetary protection policy, at either NASA or the international level, that would address 'burial' of a deceased astronaut by release into space.' Releasing the body into space seems like the easiest option, it would become trapped in the path of the craft and linger exactly where it was let go. And if numerous missions choose this method, future rockets heading to Mars will soar through a sea of dead bodies. When astronauts arrive on Mars they will face new challenges that will threaten survival, one being radiation. Previous data of the Red Plant suggests it is hit with 700 times the radiation experienced on Earth. Radiation can alter the cardiovascular system, damaging the heart, harden and narrow arteries, or eliminate some of the cells in linings of the blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular disease and maybe end with death. In this case, a Martian burial will be necessary, but NASA has strict laws about contaminating other planets with Earth microbes. 'Regarding the disposal of organic material (including bodies) on Mars,' NASA's Conley told Popular Science, 'we impose no restrictions so long as all Earth microbes have been killedso cremation would be necessary.' Freeze drying in space is much different than on Earth the body would be held outside the capsule where space would cover it in ice When astronauts arrive on Mars they will face new challenges that will threaten survival, one being radiation. Previous data of the Red Plant suggests it is hit with 700 times the radiation experienced on Earth. If they die while one the Red Planet, a Martian burial will be necessary, but NASA has strict laws about contaminating other planets with Earth microbes - the body will first need to be burned However, not every dead astronaut will likely be buried, but otherwise eaten so the others can survive. It may sound barbaric, but experts are looking to what happened when a plane crashed into the Andes mountains in 1972. The passengers had no food no way of communicating, so in order to live they made the hard decision to eat those who had died when the plane went down. Bioethicist Paul Wolpe said: 'There are two kinds of approaches to it. One says even though we owe the body an enormous amount of respect, life is primary, and if the only way one could possibly survive would be to eat a body, it's acceptable but not desirable.' Honda has received a lot of praise early this year. The Japanese have managed to build an engine that is extremely powerful, but during the opening weekend in Bahrain, there were also some problems. Sergio Perez and Pierre Gasly replaced some parts and so Toyoharu Tanabe went in search of the cause of the reliability problem. Gasly had a couple of engine components replaced after Friday's session as a precaution, and Perez had the same problem a day later. The Mexican Red Bull Racing driver also stalled during the warm-up lap on Sunday. So something seems to be wrong at Honda. Read more Verstappen stops on track in FP2 with reliability issues "Perez had an electrical problem. We have investigated and solved the issue," Tanabe told AS-Web."We will use the same parts we used in the race. As for the Energy Store, Gasly's car had some parts that were still good and some that were not good, so that's why we lost a component." Honda must get to work According to Honda's top man, the problems are not just related to cooling. "It was a bit more complicated than that and we were worried about reliability, so we changed the ICE settings and ended up driving the race with a bit less power. We are not allowed to change the settings during the race, but the FIA approved the change after the race because it had to do with reliability," Tanabe said. Honda has worked hard over the past three weeks to improve reliability, but it is still not perfect. Yuki Tsunoda had to have the same parts replaced in Imola as colleagues Perez and Gasly. Max Verstappen also stopped during the second free practice at the Italian circuit. So the problems are not solved yet. Work to do! Planning Board again turns thumbs down on asphalt plant rezoning Planning Board Chairman Steve Dozier listens to public comment during a hearing on rezoning for a proposed asphalt plant in East Flat Rock. The Henderson County Planning Board voted 5-2 on Thursday night to recommend that the Henderson County Board of Commissioners deny a rezoning to permit an asphalt plant in East Flat Rock. The vote came after two hours of public comment and questions. After Bruce Hatfield made the motion to recommend denial of the rezoning, seconded by Jim Miller, those two were joined by Hunter Marks, Jennifer Balkcom and chairman Steve Dozier voting for the motion. Voting no, and favoring a positive recommendation on the request, were Baird Blake and Paul Patterson. Southeastern Asphalt Co. owner Jeff Shipman refiled the rezoning application in March after withdrawing the request in December. Amid a large uprising against the plant, the Planning Board voted in August to recommend that the Board of Commissioners deny the rezoning request. Shipman opened the presentation of the rezoning request by addressing concerns neighbors had expressed about his clearing of the site of the proposed plant, on Spartanburg Highway at the U.S. 25 Connector. It was ultimately so we could invite the community to the property to see for theirselves that we were trying to adhere to everything we said from the very beginning, he said. If for some other reason this thing doesnt go through, we still have to do something with the property. Were going to add at least 18 jobs of office personnel, plant operator, someone in the lab, about eight trucks and it would be a great service not only for the Henderson County but everybody around and certainly not just Southeastern Asphalt. Engineer Warren Sugg said the 6 -acre site would have its own stormwater treatment system and erosion control, would have dust control, would be half mile buffer from churches, medical offices and schools and would be at least 500 feet from homes. Lynn Carmichael, a real estate appraiser with 17 years of experience in the area, conducted a value impact study of a half mile, one mile and 5 miles from asphalt plant from five asphalt plants to measure the plants impact on real estate sales. My final conclusion was that there was no injurious impact on value because of the asphalt plants, she said. Representing Southeastern, attorney Brian Gulden told the Planning Board that a conditional rezoning request requires the board to consider impacts that might reasonably be expected from the requested use. Community commercial zoning, the current designation, allows everything from convenience stores to a waste transfer station. It seems to fit in that same category of intensity of uses that an asphalt plant would have, he said. This piece of property meets that separation requirement from churches, schools, medical offices and homes. When you look at, do we check all the boxes, I would contend from a planning perspective we meet all those requirements. The asphalt plant would be compatible, too, with the countys comprehensive land-use plan, he said. One of the comp plans highest priorities was to set aside land for industrial development. My clients property is right there in the middle of the blue circle of industrial sites that were slated to be industrially zoned in the 2020 comp plan, he said. A map of how the land developed, he added, showed the slow residential creep into the industrial zone. ... Youre squeezing out the economic development of Henderson County. Board member Trey Ford, an executive with Cooper Construction Co., recused himself before the board took up the request. His company uses Southeastern Asphalt and other asphalt companies in this area and we dont want a conflict of interest, Chairman Steve Dozier said. A real estate agent, Dozier questioned Carmichaels numbers that showed no impact on real estate values. Dozier looked at home sales in Grimesdale off Asheville Highway, near an asphalt plant that started operating in 2001. The home sale value dropped from $143,000 in 2001 to $124,000 in 2002. It started to come back by 03 and recovered pretty much by 04, he said. I personally walked the property and you really cant see it from the street in my opinion, board member Baird Blake said. That said, I know the equipment can reach over 65 feet. How visible till it be? Shipman said crews are currently building dirt banks15 feet high that would be topped with a row of trees. Would it be visible? Maybe at some point in an airplane, a helicopter. Theres going to be no harm from this plant if they would read and take in what theyre reading ... Its very regulated. This is not a plant from 20 years ago. Eva Ritchey, a longtime land-use and zoning activist, testified in favor of the application. I fought an asphalt plant, she said, but this isnt that asphalt plant. The asphalt plant that I fought was old school, polluting, it was everything it shouldnt be, and we were fighting air pollution at the time. The new and improved plant is everything we hoped wed be able to accomplish as we fought. The industry responded. They improved the facility, they cleaned it up, they did make it something that would not be harmful to the community. Are we going to say that this industry that has done what we asked it do and yet were not going to let them build here. This is the smallest plant that this industry makes. The facts do not support the fear, Ritchey said. The science does not support the fear. This asphalt plant will not negatively affect this community. As an environmentalist, I would never support anything thats going to hurt my community and I support this because it will not. Opponents said the plant would hurt residential property values, harm a major gateway into Hendersonville, hurt the summer camp industry and reduce tourism. Its simple, a Flat Rock resident said. If you build it, they wont come. Shannon Nicholson, one of the organizers of the Friends of East Flat Rock, lives at 3315 Spartanburg Highway, about 700 feet from the proposed plant site. Im not a real estate expert and the truth is I believe this will impact real estate values in East Flat Rock, he said. This is a gateway to our community. The zoning does not call for that. Most of us when we bought homes looked at the zoning. When we made the decision to put our life savings into buying property based on zoning. If that zoning is not honored, what good is it? John Nicholson, who lives in Cinnamon Woods, said residents on a ridgetop can see the plant site. Theres no way unless you put a canopy over the top of it its not going to be visible, he said. It doesnt need to be rezoned to a conditional district because it should not be industrial. Shane Benedict, a resident of Lakemont Estates and a founder of LiquidLogic Kayaks also opposed the rezoning application. We came here because of the Green River, he said. Our kayak factory should not be right next to a neighborhood and Mr. Shipmans asphalt plant shouldnt be built right next to hundreds of peoples homes. This process has gotten way too emotional and a lot of doom and gloom has been presented, Blake said. Theres just too much hyperbole and as I said its gotten way too emotional. Mr. Shipman has a grading permit on file. He has every right to grade his property. He does not have a permit to build an asphalt plant and he is not building one. Please do not confuse the two. .... The smell talking to people that are in the business, paving contractors and what weve heard from experts I just dont think the smell is going to be a big deal. Stormwater will also be contained. They have the retention ponds and that stuff will be monitored. Unless theyre building massive tall things, I just dont think youre going to see them. In my mind, its an industrial-commercial five-lane highway. Although no date been set, commissioners could take up the application as early as a May 3 meeting. Gulden promised that he and his client will present an even more comprehensive case before the Board of Commissioners. Well have the plant operator, well have a toxicologist, air modeling, he said. Shipman and his attorney said they will proceed to a presentation of the rezoning request before the Board of Commissioners. Theyre not pro-business, Shipman said of the planning advisers after the vote. They can say they are all they want but theyre not. Cancer is an insidious disease that, despite being around for centuries, is still very difficult to diagnose and treat. Thus, cancer has been the focus much research in the biomedical fields. Today, with research methods advancing rapidly and the base pool of researchers growing constantly, our fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of cancer formation and proliferation have increased, and new more promising treatment avenues have opened up. In a new review article published in Chinese Medical Journal, scientists from Guangxi Medical University, China, have organized and analyzed the latest papers published on one promising avenue of exploration for many cancers, the cell receptor neuropilin-1 (NRP-1). Their work provides a much-needed overview of the salient findings in this field that helps direct future research on cancer treatment. Neuropilins are transmembrane protein receptors with many functions in the body. For instance, they act as part of cell signaling pathways, regulating cellular function when various ligands (proteins) bind to them. NRP-1 in particular is critical to nerve cell and heart and blood vessel development and is otherwise found to be expressed on the surface of many types of cells, including regulatory T cells (a type of immune cell), osteoblasts (bone forming cells), adipocytes (fat storage cells), keratinocytes (a type of skin cell), and bone marrow fibroblasts (connective tissue in the bone marrow). Because of its role in cell growth and blood vessel formation, this receptor is implicated in cancer development and proliferation. For instance, one action of NRP-1, forming complexes with various growth factors--which are a type of protein or hormone that helps stimulate cells to multiply--appears to promote tumor proliferation and metastasis (movement of the tumor into other parts of the body). In addition, NRP-1 binds to a protein expressed on regulatory T cells, an important player in anti-tumor immunity. This binding interferes with T cell functioning, speeding up tumor progression. Further, it promotes action of tumor-associated macrophages, which suppress the body's normal immune system, helping tumors proliferate. Finally, the importance of NRP-1 in blood vessel formation also applies for blood vessels that tumors use to obtain nutrients for continued growth. All of these factors combine to make hampering NRP-1 function an attractive idea for treating cancers. Several therapeutic strategies have already been developed, including blocking the interaction of NRP-1 with growth factors to prevent tumor blood-vessel formation, preventing NRP-1 presence in tumor regulatory T cells so that cancers are more susceptible to the body's immune system, and directly targeting NRP-1 expression in several types of cells. Other, more cutting-edge technologies include the development of alternative splicing variants which are basically mutant versions of original proteins that bind to NRP-1; these variants change how NRP-1 acts when they bind to it. Some studies have also looked into combining multiple drugs that target NRP-1, or administering NRP-1-related drugs along with existing chemotherapy drugs. These studies have found that such "combination therapies" work well to eliminate multiple types of cancers. Lead author of the article, Dr. Shao-Dan Liu, discusses the importance of reviewing recent progress in research on NRP-1 and its relationship to cancers. A comprehensive review gives us a better sense of where we are at the moment and what still needs to be known. For example, a lot of questions remain to be answered about the exact molecular mechanisms of NRP-1 action in cancer progression." Dr Shao-Dan Liu, Study Lead Author, Cactus Communications Nonetheless, recent NRP-1 research has considerably increased our understanding of this receptor's role in tumor development and enhanced our ability to predict the likely outcome of cancers, in addition to diagnosing and treating them. Dr. Liu adds, "We also hope that reading about all these advancements in cancer treatments will give the public confidence that cancer research is on the right track." Indeed, in time, cancer may not be the formidable disease that is today. Social Commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs has reposed confidence in Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh to fix the energy sector of the economy. Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Allotey Jacobs minced no words as he said the Minister is capable of handling the Energy Ministry. His comments were in connection with the current intermittent power supply in the country. GRIDCo says the nation is experiencing power cuts due to some maintenance the company is undertaking to ensure proper transmission of electricity. However, there are fears 'dumsor' might be resurfacing but the company has assured Ghanaians they are working around the clock to resolve the crisis. To Allotey Jacobs, Matthew Opoku Prempeh popularly called Napo, although not a technocrat by profession, has got the qualities to lead the energy sector and therefore egged him on to achieve his goals. "He is capable of handling that Ministry. He can and he will," he said. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video MEDFORD, Ore. The officers involved in a deadly exchange of gunfire outside of an Eagle Point church in February have been cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury, according to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office. The incident began on the night of February 23 when Eagle Point Police officers began responding to reports of a domestic disturbance on Idlewood Drive. The DA's office said that EPPD officer Donny Jordan had arrived in the area and was waiting for backup when dispatch reported that one of the people involved in the domestic was leaving the house on Idlewood. "There was some conflicting information if the person was leaving in a Tahoe or Durango vehicle," the DA's office said. "Within a short period of time, a tan Tahoe drove by Officer Jordan's location." Officer Jordan pulled the Tahoe driver over, stopping in the parking lot of Church on the Hill where Idlewood meets E Main Street and Stevens Road. Walking up to the vehicle, the officer explained the reason for the stop to the two men inside the vehicle, but both denied being involved in a domestic dispute. Meanwhile, officers from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office started arriving at the scene. Dispatch advised the officers that the man involved was named "Dale," and that there was a gun in the vehicle. Both men initially denied that either of them was named Dale. According to the DA's office, JCSO Corporal Chad Prins recognized the passenger in the vehicle, who finally provided a full name, confirming that his first name was Dale. "At that time, the passenger, Dale Amstutz-Dunn, reached across the driver and fired at Corporal Prins," the DA's office said. "The shot struck Corporal Prins in the chest. Fortunately, the ballistic vest kept the bullet from penetrating. Corporal Prins was able to remain on his feet." RELATED: Sheriff: Suspect killed in Eagle Point shot deputy, officers returned fire The officers ran for cover and pulled out their weapons, with several of them firing toward Amstutz-Dunn. There was a brief exchange of gunfire between several of the officers and the suspect. The DA's office said that the driver of the Tahoe, Adam Hackworth, got out of the vehicle and laid down on the ground before crawling toward the officers at their command. Amstutz-Dunn was found unresponsive after more officers arrived on the scene. He was eventually taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Hackworth had been shot in the arm, and was also taken to the hospital. The DA's office said that he is recovering from the injury. Officer Jordan's body cam was on throughout the encounter, the DA's office said, though the Sheriff's Office deputies did not activate their cameras until after the shooting. Hackworth testified to the grand jury that Amstutz-Dun had kicked in the door of the house on Idlewood and held several people at gunpoint prior to the deadly shooting until someone was able to call police. Amstutz-Dunn had recently been released after a lengthy prison sentence and was acting "paranoid and aggressive" prior to the shooting, one victim testified. He allegedly made statements indicating that he preferred getting into a shoot-out with police to going back to prison. Investigators also learned that Amstutz-Dunn was wanted in connection with a shooting in Keizer, Oregon, and had an active federal warrant for a probation violation. Though Amstutz-Dunn did have a wound to his foot apparently caused by officers returning fire, the doctor who performed his autopsy concluded that he'd turned his 9mm pistol on himself, resulting in his fatal wound to the head. "In Jackson County, a grand jury is required to review incidents where law enforcement use deadly physical force, and make the determination as to whether the officers' use of force was justified under Oregon law. The review is conducted even when the Officers use of deadly force did not cause a death," the DA's office said. After hearing from 13 witnesses, the grand jury deliberated for less than 10 minutes before announcing that all of the officers involved were justified under Oregon law. Uttar Pradesh's daily COVID-19 cases surged to a record high of 27,426 on Friday, taking the state's cumulative tally to 7,93,720, an official said. The death toll climbed to 9,583 with 103 more fatalities, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad told reporters here. This is the third consecutive day when the state has reported a record rise in COVID-19 cases. A total of 22,439 fresh COVID-19 cases were recorded on Thursday and 20,510 on Wednesday. "In the past 24 hours, 27,426 fresh cases were reported while 6,429 people were discharged," Prasad said. Currently, there are 1,50,676 active COVID-19 cases in the state. Of these, 77,146 patients are in home isolation, 2,435 in private hospitals and the remaining in government hospitals, he said. A total of 6,33,461 people have recovered from the infection so far, he added. Among the fresh cases, maximum 6,598 recovered from Lucknow, 2,344 from Varanasi, 1,758 from Allahabad, 1403 from Kanpur, 846 from Gorakhpur, 497 from GB Nagar, besides others, according to a health bulletin issued here. The state capital witnessed maximum of 35 deaths, while seven deaths were reported from Kanpur, five from Ballia and Ghaziabad, four from Moradabad and Allahabad, it said. On Thursday, 2.23 lakh samples were tested. With this, the total number of samples tested so far has risen to over 3.78 crore, Prasad 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.) If youve never had a hamburger from Milos, nows a good time to start. And if you simply cant get enough of those saucy burgers in your belly, its a perfect time to load up. The Alabama fast-food chain is selling its famous burgers for 75 cents today, to help celebrate Milos 75th anniversary. The deal will be available to dine-in and drive-thru customers at all 21 Milos locations, the company said via a press release. A maximum of 10 burgers per order is in place for the April 16 promotion, and the price is bound to inspire grins from folks who love Milos. A traditional Milos burger -- described on the companys website as a fresh grilled patty, topped with onions and pickles, drenched in our secret sauce, and served on a warm, grilled bun -- typically costs $4.29, according to the site. Although many fast-food lovers rave about Milos sauce, the company also offers its burgers The Other Way, sauce-free but with other fixings intact. Milos, founded in 1946 by Milo Carlton and his wife, Beatrice, has locations in Alabama cities ranging from Decatur to Montgomery to Tuscaloosa. The Carltons opened the original Milos Hamburgers shop on Aug. 19, 1946, on 12th Avenue North in Birminghams Norwood neighborhood. Its no exaggeration to say that people in Alabama simply adore Milos: the burgers, the sauce, the sweet tea, the fries and more. Need proof? Milos recently took the top spot in AL.coms Alabama fast-food bracket, besting seven other restaurants founded in our state: Checkers, Foosacklys, Guthries, Hamburger Heaven, Jacks, Sneaky Petes and Taco Casa. Readers voted for their favorites in the online competition, and Milos ruled supreme. Police are investigating the wife of the Belgian ambassador on charges of assaulting a shop assistant in Seoul, but even if she is found guilty she is protected by her diplomatic immunity. Police said Thursday they are investigating the 63-year-old wife of Belgian Ambassador Peter Lescouhier, who is accused of slapping the face of a 34-year-old staffer in a clothing store in Hannam-dong on April 9. The envoy's wife had already left the store when a staffer followed her out and accused her of shoplifting because she wore a dress from the store. When the staffer had checked that the dress was the woman's own, the woman followed the staffer inside, shook the staffer's arm and demanded to speak to the manager. Another staffer tried to intervene, and the woman slapped her. Another customer reported the incident to police. The staffer said, "I didn't know who the woman was when I was assaulted, but she looked confident and didn't seem to be sorry." She complained of a swollen cheek and reddening eyes. "I was told by police that it will be hard to press charges due to her diplomatic immunity," the staffer said. The ambassador's wife is reportedly Chinese and used to work for an international organization. The Embassy of Belgium declined to comment. Researchers are studying ways to deliver COVID-19 vaccines as a capsule, tablet or nasal spray, rather than through injection. Above, doses of the Pfizer vaccine. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) With 13 COVID-19 vaccines in use around the world, pharmaceutical companies are exploring second-generation technology that could change how doses are administered and distributed. These vaccines could be taken orally as a capsule that could be swallowed, as a tablet that dissolves under the tongue or as a nasal spray. Such formulations would not require refrigeration, nor would they need healthcare workers to administer them. The efforts are in early stages with no guarantee of success. Research and development costs are steep, and only a small number of companies none with a vaccine currently authorized for use are exploring these alternate methods. The work may seem like a gamble but could play a critical role in ending the pandemic. It is encouraging to see manufacturers pursue easier-to-administer formulas of the vaccine, said Esther Krofah, executive director of the Milken Institutes FasterCures. We need to have a global focus, and not just a domestic focus. With 22% of its population fully vaccinated, the United States has administered more doses than any other country in the world, and data show that high-income countries have been more effectively distributing doses than low-income countries. The United States cant be safe if the rest of the world is not safe, said Dr. Bruce Innis with PATH, a nonprofit working in 70 countries to ensure global healthcare equity. At a time in the country when the lens of equity is applied to everything, we cant feel good about getting a vaccine if that isnt happening everywhere. Current vaccines need syringes and refrigeration. These requirements present logistical challenges if the SARS-CoV-2 virus is to be eradicated. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require ultra-cold storage or dry ice. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which has been put on hold while officials study reports of very rare but dangerous blood clots, can be stored in temperatures just above freezing. Story continues According to FasterCures, which is tracking 326 COVID-19 treatments and 252 vaccines, five companies are developing oral vaccines, and two ImmunityBio and Vaxart have progressed to Phase 1 clinical trials. Thirteen companies are working on intranasal sprays, and five are in early clinical trials. We should not underestimate how challenging it is to create the right vaccine formulations that will generate an effective immune response, Krofah said. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease expert at Vanderbilt University and the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, said he is impressed that two companies are in Phase 1 trials. People have been looking to create an oral vaccine for a long time without a whole lot of success, Schaffner said. This is exciting, novel and distinctive. Other experts are taking a wait-and-see approach. Phase 1 is a long, long way from having a product, Dr. Paul Offit, with the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, said in an email, adding that there is no downside for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve early studies. Id pay attention if it goes from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and gets to Phase 3, said Dr. Kelly Moore, deputy director of the Immunization Action Coalition, a nonprofit that provides information about vaccines and their distribution. "Many good ideas fall out between Phase 1 and Phase 2, and even more do not make it to Phase 3. In February, the FDA approved the expansion of a Phase 1 clinical trial by ImmunityBio to include two other versions of its COVID-19 vaccine: a capsule that can be swallowed and a tablet that dissolves under the tongue. The company has been testing the injectable version of its vaccine for six months. The tests are being administered by Hoag Hospital Newport Beach and have expanded from 35 to 140 participants. ImmunityBio, based in El Segundo, is the only company to be simultaneously testing both injectable and oral versions of its vaccine, according to FasterCures data. ImmunityBio's chairman and chief executive, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, also owns the Los Angeles Times. The vaccine developed by ImmunityBio is different from the vaccines developed by Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. Those vaccines prompt the immune system to generate antibodies against the virus spike protein. The ImmunityBio vaccine, however, is designed to induce antibodies against not just the spike protein on the outside of the virus but also a different protein inside the virus. Because the inside protein is less likely to mutate than the spike protein, the vaccine could potentially be more effective against coronavirus variants, experts say. "My concept of an ideal vaccine," Soon-Shiong said, "is one that doesn't need refrigeration, offers quadruple immunity with antibody, T cell, mucosal and long-term memory protection, and most importantly, protects against the variants that are now emerging." Last week, ImmunityBio released preliminary results from the Phase 1 trial of its injectable vaccine, which showed a ten-fold increase in the T cell response a key immunological response among participants in the trial, compared with people who had been infected with the virus. The biotech firm Vaxart, based in South San Francisco, began Phase 1 clinical trials in the fall for an oral vaccine for COVID-19. Preliminary results released in February indicated that while its vaccine did not produce neutralizing antibodies, "we did see fantastic T cell responses," said Sean Tucker, founder and chief scientific officer of Vaxart. "The profile of a tablet vaccine is compelling," said Tucker, citing its stability at room temperature and the fact that it is easy to transport and swallow and doesn't need needles to administer. "However, it's just been tough to get oral vaccination to work. Typically, the vaccine gets degraded like food." The oral polio vaccine a benchmark of success took nearly 10 years to develop. First introduced as an injectable vaccine by Dr. Jonas Salk in 1953, the oral version, formulated by Albert Sabin, appeared in 1962. The near eradication of polio throughout the world is credited largely to the convenience of an oral vaccine. But the poliovirus is a different type of virus than the novel coronavirus. They are both equally contagious, but a polio infection begins in the digestive tract before reaching the nervous system and causing paralysis. An oral vaccine for polio targets the initial site of infection. Oral vaccines have similarly been effective against rotavirus and salmonella, but according to Dr. Buddy Creech, director of the vaccine research program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the challenge is to make sure that enough of the vaccine survives in the stomach to trigger an immune response. As a respiratory illness, a coronavirus infection is similar to influenza, and although the influenza vaccine is typically given as a shot in the arm, one company has developed an intranasal version. FluMist is an aerosolized spray that targets the nose and throat, where the virus infection often begins. FluMist, Creech said, produces an immune response on par and in some ways better than an injected vaccine. Methods for administering a vaccine are not the only impediment to greater global distribution. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines need to be stored at minus 94-degrees Fahrenheit, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine needs to be stored at 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Pfizer is developing a powder version of its vaccine, according to a company spokesperson. Essentially freeze-dried, a vaccine in this form is more stable than a liquid vaccine, and its storage requirements are comparable to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Once on-site, the Pfizer vaccine would be reconstituted as a liquid and injected. It is also being reformulated to require one shot. Clinical trials on this version of the company's injectable vaccine have not yet started. Finding an alternative vaccine delivery method is a huge investment, said Moore, of the Immunization Action Coalition, which is why most companies avoid it, and for companies that have yet to produce a viable vaccine, it is a gamble. Convenience is meaningless if the vaccine itself doesnt work, said Dr. Lawrence Steinman, an immunologist and neurologist at Stanford University. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. WASHINGTON, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fragrance Creators Association has announced it will recognize Sean Broderick, Senior Director, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, Procter & Gamble (P&G), as the recipient of a special Extraordinary Leadership Award for his contributions in helping empower the industry to adapt and continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. As cases surged and U.S. businesses faced shutdown orders, Broderick worked to improve coordination among key industry organizations, including Fragrance Creators, the American Cleaning Institute, the Personal Care Products Council, and Consumer Brands Association, which resulted in improved supply chain understanding and coordination in a time of uncertainty. He also served as a resource for the fragrance value chain from the onset of the pandemic, providing data and guidance in bi-weekly industry leadership meetings hosted by Fragrance Creators. Fragrance Creators Association "Sean mobilized his expertise, out-of-the-box thinking, and broad network of relationships in and outside of P&G to help Fragrance Creators and other associations quickly connect with one another, reach the right government and non-government decision-makers, and better tackle common challenges together," said Farah K. Ahmed, President & CEO, Fragrance Creators. "We are grateful for his leadership and strategic guidance, which resulted in the industry delivering more positive impacts for worker safety and public health during an unprecedented time." Broderick leads P&G's U.S. regulatory and global environmental sustainability policy, advocating for the company and the industry with the U.S. Congress and the Administration on issues including product safety, cosmetics, chemicals, LGBTQ+ equality, sustainability, manufacturing, supply chain, and innovation. With a Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Xavier University, he has more than 23 years of experience as a thought leader and consensus builder in various roles within P&G. The Extraordinary Leadership Award will be formally presented to Broderick at Fragrance Creators' 2021 Mid-Year Business Meeting, held virtually on Thursday, July 22, 2021, at 10 a.m. ET. During the meeting, association leadership will discuss key 2021 priorities for fragrance creation and innovation, highlight relevant 2020 achievements, and more. Registration for the complimentary meeting opens soon. Fragrance Creators Association is the principal fragrance trade association. The organization leverages its network of over 1,000 multidisciplinary scientists as it represents the majority of fragrance manufacturing in the U.S. and Canada on a comprehensive array of issues. Fragrance Creators' diverse membership includes innovative companies that create, manufacture, and use fragrances and scents for home care, personal care, home design, fine fragrance, and industrial and institutional products as well as those that supply fragrance ingredients, including natural extracts and other raw materials that are used in perfumery and fragrance mixtures. Fragrance Creators established and administers the Congressional Fragrance Caucus, ensuring ongoing dialogue with members of Congress and staff. The association also produces The Fragrance Conservatory, the comprehensive digital resource for high-quality information about fragrance. Learn more about Fragrance Creators at fragrancecreators.orgfor people, perfume, and the planet. Contact: Lia Dangelico [email protected] +1 571 317 1504 Related Images senior-director-global-government.jpg Senior Director, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, Procter & Gamble SOURCE Fragrance Creators Association Video posted on Twitter showed the engine in flames after the plane took off from Denver. Passengers, who were headed to Honolulu, said they feared the plane would crash after an explosion and flash of light, while people on the ground saw huge chunks of the aircraft drop, just missing one home and crushing a truck. Editors Note: Youk Chhang is the director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia. The Center's focus on memory and justice seeks to assist Cambodians in discovering the truths upon which a genuine national reconciliation depends. In this essay, Chhang asserts that Cambodia could do more to help survivors of genocide to receive reparations that involve restorative medical care, services, and support from the international community. Justice is hard to realize in post-conflict societies because what violence, mass atrocities and genocide take, the world cannot replace. No amount of money can compensate for lives lost and no reparation can repair the damage done to society, which extends across multiple generations. It has been over four decades since the Khmer Rouge fell, and although Cambodia has made great progress in overcoming the shadows of this horrific history, there is so much more we can do for the survivors of the genocide. Although there are many institutions that stand out as prominent fields that harbor the residual effects of mass atrocities, the medical system is one institution that demands greater support, not only because of the poor state of affairs, which is all but exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also because it is one way to directly improve the well-being of the survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime. In Cambodia, the most prominent means for seeking justice for the deaths of millions of people during the Khmer Rouge regime has been the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). Although the ECCC has fallen short in many areas, it nevertheless has accomplished a significant part of its mandate. The ECCCs proceedings have shed light on what occurred during the Khmer Rouge regime, and it has prosecuted some of the most senior leaders and those most responsible for the crimes committed by the regime. However, though the work of the ECCC has been pivotal to the healing of the Cambodian nation, there must be other extra-judicial mechanisms and means for ensuring the ECCCs work continues to have an impact on the younger generations that were born after the Khmer Rouge regime. Education is one way to ensure the work of the ECCC, and the history of the Khmer Rouge regime, is not forgotten. Because justice is so hard to realize, and it is impossible to truly restore what has been damaged and lost, Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) has prioritized education as a complement to the traditional forms of transitional justice. In many respects, genocide education can be a means for realizing a form of justice. DC-Cam uses its Genocide Education Program in a way that leverages its inherent capability to effect restorative justice as much as prevent the next mass atrocity and genocide. By its very nature, education can prevent future violence, conflict and even inhumanity because it challenges students to analyze history and reflect on how the conditions and circumstances that led to genocide and mass atrocities of the past can be prevented in the future. On a deeper level, all genocide education must impart a due sense of empathy for people, and how inhumanity can be instigated and even rationalized on individual, community, and national levels. However, education can also bring a sense of restorative justice in addition to preventing genocide and mass atrocities. DC-Cam has used its Genocide Education Program as a platform to allow victims to tell their stories and experiences, and it has leveraged educational events as open forums for victims to confront former Khmer Rouge cadres for purposes of reconciliation. When education is packaged in this way, victims are given an opportunity to take back their humanity and self- and collectively reflect upon how their experiences can teach the next generation. Likewise, former Khmer Rouge cadres are given an opportunity to reflect on their history and come to a semblance of reconciliation with their community. Education in this sense becomes an opportunity for restoring and rebuilding the pieces of humanity that were damaged by mass atrocities. But despite all of these significant benefits, DC-Cam understands that education is still limited, and more must be done to help the victims of mass atrocities and genocide. Cambodia continues to struggle to this day with the history of the Khmer Rouge period. Although politics, social institutions, and the economy stand out as prominent fields that harbor the residual effects of mass atrocities, the medical system also bears scars. In 2015, Dr. Demosthenes C. Reyes, who is now an advisor to DC-Cam, wrote about the poor standards of medicine in Cambodia.1 A standard for quality medical care in the country is absent, and religious beliefs and superstition without scientific or medical basis form the foundation of most medical and surgical decisions. Moreover, the medical profession in Cambodia is still dominated by a materialistic attitude and a lack of compassion. The Khmer Rouge regime is not necessarily responsible for the standard of medical care in Cambodia today, but there is little question that the Khmer Rouge decimated the medical profession in Cambodia. Professionals, academics, and experts, including doctors, were targeted for arrest, and the vast majority of the medical community either fled or died during the regime. By the end of the Khmer Rouge regime, medical care was non-existent in Cambodia, and only a handful of medical professionals were believed to have been still living in the country. Likewise, the Khmer Rouge is also not the root cause for the qualities that resonate in many medical care services today; however, in every respect the regime perpetuated, aggravated, and increased Cambodias problems, one of which has been a pervasive culture of survivalism and self-serving behavior. Because Khmer Rouge ideology was centered on terrorizing the masses, a lack of compassion was an inherent attribute of Khmer Rouge administration. Compassion toward another person could be perceived as a compromise in ones adherence to the Khmer Rouge ideology, and compromise always indicated weakness and a lack of enthusiasm, which were punishable by death. It was this cruel calculus that permeated all parts of Cambodian life during the Khmer Rouge regime, and the remnants of this mental calculus and perspective can still be seen in many professions and institutions where human compassion is a core ethic. But apart from being a key tenet of Khmer Rouge ideology, the lack of compassion was also a common survival mechanism amongst victims and throughout Cambodian society. In the decades that followed the collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodia was plagued by decades of war, famine, and instability, which all but perpetuated a culture where survival was paramount, and selfless service, sacrifice, and compassion for others was superseded by self-serving behaviors. In 2014, I published a short article in the Phnom Penh Post about what I had learned from my sister Keo Kolthida Ekkasakh. 2 As a witness to the horrors of Democratic Kampuchea (DK) commonly known as the Khmer Rouge and as a researcher who has worked for many years studying and documenting the stories of individuals who suffered and died under the Khmer Rouge regime, I felt like I understood most aspects of Khmer Rouge history. I also believed I had overcome some of the worst effects of this time period. But what struck me in connecting with my sister in 2014 was the fact that that I had also much to learn about the various ways this history has impacted the Cambodian people. As a deaf person, no one bothered to ask my sister about her experience during the Khmer Rouge period. At that time, my sister was undergoing treatment for cancer, and so I re-connected with her about topics and experiences that we had never discussed before. She told me about her experience as a deaf person during the Khmer Rouge regime, and her stories made me embarrassed by how little I knew about her suffering. Her stories also made me realize how many other people with mental or physical disabilities have had to suffer alone. How many other life stories are forgotten, overlooked or are simply never told? Keo Kolthida Ekkasakh passed away from cancer almost one year after my article was published and since that time, I have been haunted by the insights of her experience as a deaf person. Her story was only a small piece of Khmer Rouge history, but like others who do not have the capacity to speak, her story challenged me to really evaluate the definition of justice and whether we are really doing all that we can for those without a voice. Shortly after my sister died, I published another article about how the Cambodian medical system fails the poor.3 In my sisters final days, my family and I were able to provide her with the best care available in Cambodia, but the standard of care was still abysmal and marked by a lack of compassion. In my article, I stated, I dont believe my sisters circumstances were isolated or unique. Had we not been at her side imploring the consistent attention to her care or inquiring into, with secondary medical opinion, her actual condition, I question how long she may have truly lived. The cool indifference to the poor or the casual triaging of medical care based on economic circumstance disguise a deeper sentiment than mere distraction, incompetence or laziness. The vestiges of horrific regimes can often reside in our own understanding, empathy and concern for our fellow human beings both in casual interaction as well as professional service, and it is in this light that Cambodia still has much more to do.4 Prompted by my late sisters story and her experience with the medical services in Cambodia, since 2014, DC-Cam has been seeking to implement a program to support the health and welfare of the survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime.5 Working alongside Dr. Reyes, DC-Cam has drafted over a dozen proposals, concept notes, and white papers on the idea of supporting the health and welfare of the survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime. DC-Cam sees this effort as not only an extension of its Genocide Education Project, but also its work in supporting the ECCC and Cambodias development as a democratic country. One of the first DC-Cam public commitments to realizing this project appeared in 2017. In 2017, DC-Cam published its Strategic Plan 2017-2020, in which it notified donors of its commitment to establishing a temporary health care clinic for ECCCs civil parties.6 As stated in the plan, The purpose of the clinic would be to provide a venue for a wide spectrum of mental and social health organizations, leveraging secular as well as faith-based institutions, to donate voluntary counselor and other social health services. Dr. Demy Reyes, a Christian pastor and oncology surgeon, and Kessara Chan, Ph.D in human physiology of Switzerland will supervise this work, by reaching out to other organizations in the country. The primary goal of the clinic is to leverage the wide variety of volunteer work already being accomplished in Cambodia for the purpose of achieving synergy toward improving the mental and social health of victims.7 In addition to the services that could be offered by the clinic, DC-Cam also proposed piloting a preventative health care project for survivors. Under this project, DC-Cam would provide a basic package of preventative health care and a limited range of curative interventions for a specific number of civil parties and criminal complainants. At the end of the pilot, the clinic would assess the effectiveness and sustainability of a program that provides basic health care services to survivors of the Khmer Rouge. Since these initial proposals, DC-Cam has made progress in gathering data on the population that could be supported with health care services, and it has further refined the various strategies, objectives, and activities that could improve the health and well-being of survivors of the Khmer Rouge. Recently, we were delighted to learn of the U.S. Governments support to Khmer Rouge survivors access to health and social services. In 2020, the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations provided funding authorization detailing the U.S. Governments support to the Khmer Rouge survivors in the U.S. Congress Appropriations for 2021. This support could not come at a better time. On 7 April 2021, the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ECCC issued its decision on the disposition and future of Case 003.8 Whereas the ECCC will continue to process and decide upon substantive matters, there seems little doubt that the ECCC is winding down, and the most prominent instrument for achieving justice for the victims of the Khmer Rouge is in its twilight phase. It has been over four decades since the Khmer Rouge fell, and although Cambodia has made great progress in overcoming the shadows of this horrific history, there is so much more we can do for the survivors of the genocide. The support of the U.S. Government, the Cambodian government, and the world is not only crucial to helping the survivors of the Khmer Rouge, it is also pivotal to reimagining the concept of transitional justice in other countries as well.9 Transitional justice must include more than symbolic reparations; it must include actions that at least aim to improve the well-being of the survivors. Cambodia could be the first country since the Holocaust in which the survivors of mass atrocities and genocide receive reparations that involve restorative medical care, services, and support from the international community. We should recognize this effort to help the survivors of the Khmer Rouge as an admirable step forward, as well as the beginning of a new conversation on the definition of post-conflict justice. ______ 1. Demosthenes C. Reyes, M.D., Cambodias Failing Medical System, [Letter to the Editor] The Phnom Penh Post, (Feb. 20, 2015), https://www.phnompenhpost.com/opinion/cambodias-failing-medical-system. 2. Youk Chhang, Deafness and Genocide, The Phnom Penh Post (Jan. 3, 2014), https://www.phnompenhpost.com/7days/deafness-genocide#:~:text=Youk%20Chhang%20is%20one%20of,different%20lives%20as%20genocide%20survivors. 3. Youk Chhang, Our Medical System Fails the Poor, The Phnom Penh Post (Jan. 29, 2015), https://www.phnompenhpost.com/opinion/our-medical-system-fails-poor. 4. Youk Chhang, Our Medical System Fails the Poor, The Phnom Penh Post (Jan. 29, 2015), https://www.phnompenhpost.com/opinion/our-medical-system-fails-poor. 5. See Dealing with the Past, Moving into the Future: 2014, 2015, 2016 Vision, Documentation Center of Cambodia (2014), http://d.dccam.org/Publication/Outreach/pdf/B_Dealing_with_the_Past.pdf. (Between 2013 and 2015, DC-Cam will focus on the needs of ordinary Cambodian peoplevictims and their descendantswho are the keys to the countrys past, present, and future. In addition to honoring those who died during the Khmer Rouge regime, it is crucial to reach out to and support living Cambodians in the country and around the world.). 6. STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-2020, DOCUMENTATION CENTER OF CAMBODIA (2017), http://d.dccam.org/Publication/Outreach/pdf/B_DC-Cam_Vision_2017-2020.pdf. 7. STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-2020, DOCUMENTATION CENTER OF CAMBODIA (2017), http://d.dccam.org/Publication/ Outreach/pdf/B_DC-Cam_Vision_2017-2020.pdf. 8. Press Release, Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (5 April 2021). The question is whether we, collectively, care enough to focus on that one specific moment when Adam put his hands in the air and, in a blink, a police officers bullet pierced his chest. That it happened is a tragedy and a problem. That it keeps happening is an ongoing tragedy and a profound problem, one that far too many are willing to both-sides, to hurriedly tamp down until the next person of color gets killed. Campaigning for the West Bengal elections on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah dubbed former Congress president Rahul Gandhi as a "tourist leader". While Gandhi did not campaign for the first 4 phases of the polls, he addressed his first rally in the state only on Wednesday. Speaking at a public meeting in Tehatta, Shah mocked the Wayanad MP's absence from the campaign trail. Moreover, he hit back at Gandhi's jibe on BJP's DNA. Two days earlier, Gandhi had said, "We should not allow the BJP to come to power in this state. Wherever the BJP and the RSS go, they indulge in divisive politics. They spread hatred and create rifts among people it is in their DNA." Responding to this, the Union Home Minister asserted that BJP's DNA stands for development, nationalism and Atmanirbhar Bharat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah remarked, "There is a tourist leader in our country. Rahul baba is not visible even when the election is nearing completion. In one of his recent rallies, he described BJP's DNA. Rahul baba, I will tell you about our DNA. D stands for development, N for nationalism and A for Atmanirbhar Bharat." Speaking at a public meeting in Tehatta, West Bengal. #BanglarManushBJPErSathe https://t.co/qxyeYxBhdJ Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 16, 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls Mamata Banerjee-led TMC had swept the 2016 Assembly polls by bagging 211 seats in the 294-member Assembly. In West Bengal, 294 seats are up for grabs and people will be able to cast their votes at 1,01,916 polling stations. Buoyed by its stupendous 2019 Lok Sabha performance, BJP is looking to oust TMC and is aiming at winning over 200 seats this time. While Congress was the second-largest party in 2016, it has tied with the Left and the Indian Secular Front founded by influential Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui to form the Sanjukta Morcha. The voter turnout for the seats that went to the polls in the first, second, third and fourth phases was 84.63 per cent, 86.11 per cent, 84.61 per cent and 79.90 per cent respectively. The polling for the remaining phases will take place on April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Meanwhile, the election results will be declared on May 2. Raul Castro announced on Friday that he will resign as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba. Castros resignation marks the first time since 1959 that a Castro brother will not hold a significant leadership role in Cuban government. While Miguel Diaz-Canel was appointed president of Cuba in 2018, Raul Castro, who turns 90 in June, remained involved in leadership of the country. The Communist Party of Cuba will convene its eighth congress from Friday to Monday, during which it is expected to name Diaz-Canel as secretary. Castro said in 2018 that Diaz-Canel would take over as secretary in 2021, when Castro planned to retire. Castro took power following the death of his brother, dictator Fidel Castro, in November 2016. Cuba is one of the worlds last remaining communist countries, and the nation faces numerous challenges while recovering from the coronavirus pandemic. The Cuban economy contracted by 11 percent during 2020, bringing food shortages and a shutdown of the countrys tourism industry. It is unclear if any major changes to Cubas governance will occur after Raul Castros departure. The Biden administration does not currently plan to change current policies regarding the country. Oppression against Cubans is worse today than perhaps during the Bush years, Juan Gonzalez, executive director of the National Security Council, said in a Spanish-language interview with CNN earlier this month. More from National Review The Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim constituency in the Western Region, Dr Prince Hamid Armah, has donated food items and an undisclosed amount of money to Muslims in the constituency, who are preparing to begin the holy Ramadan month of fasting. The items, which include thirty bags of sugar, thirty cartons of milk, thirty cartons of tea and fifty assorted cartons of soft drinks, were presented to representatives from the various mosques in the constituency in a short ceremony on Monday, April 12, 2020. The items were presented on behalf of the Member of Parliament by Mr Jerry Hanson, Constituency first vice chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Abubakar Ibrahim, deputy Nasara coordinator of the party in the constituency and other party stalwarts. Presenting the items, Mr Hanson said the gesture was in support of the Muslim community as they embark on the month of fasting and prayer. He said the donation was one of many ways in which Dr Armah will be supporting the community and pledged that the MPs continued support and assistance to the community. He asked Muslims in the constituency to pray for the constituency, the country and leaders at all levels so they can give off their best for the people. Sheikh Abdul Rahman of the Kwesimintsim Central Mosque, who received the donation on behalf of the community, expressed his gratitude for the donation. The items are to be distributed to the all mosques in the constituency. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and is observed with fasting and prayer by all Muslim faithful around the world to commemorate Prophet Mohammed first receiving the Holy Quran. The fasting is expected to commence tomorrow. 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 A Laois woman from a well-known family has been entrusted with one of the most senior positions in Ireland's biggest hotel group at a critical juncture for the hospitality sector and group due to the pandemic Dalata Hotel Group plc, the largest hotel operator in Ireland with a growing presence in the United Kingdom, announces the appointment of Ms Carol Phelan as Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective 1 July, 2021. Ms Phelan joined the Company in 2014 and was appointed as Group Head of Financial Reporting, Treasury and Tax in 2017. During her time with the Group, Ms Phelan has played a leading role within the finance team; responsible for the development of the financial reporting function during a period of rapid growth and expansion. She also led the refinancing of the Groups debt facilities in 2018 and has been centrally involved in maintaining the Groups financial strength and liquidity during the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to joining Dalata Ms Phelan held senior finance positions in Ion Equity and KPMG. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant. Carol Phelan, hails from Donaghmore. Her father Brendan was a Laois County Councillor for a number of years while her aunt Louise Phelan was European vice-president with Paypal and is now CEO at Phelan Energy Group, an international energy developer founded by her brother Paschal in South Africa. Another uncle, the late Kieran Phelan was also a member of Laois County Council for many years and was a member of Seanad Eireann on the Industrial and Commercial Panel until his sudden death in 2010. The job will certainly be a challenge for the Donaghmore native. Dalata said 2020 was an unprecedented year of challenge for the industry - 68% reduction in revenue leading to loss after tax of 101 million. However, the company says it has a robust balance sheet with hotel assets of 1.2 billion. The group is also planning for the future with almost 3,300 rooms across Ireland and the UK in the pipeline at seven new hotels under construction - two in Ireland and five in the UK. Ms Phelan looked forward to the challenge ahead. I am honoured to have been chosen as the new Group CFO of Dalata. This is an important time for the business as we continue to deal with the impact of COVID-19, while ensuring we progress with our development and expansion plans, particularly across the UK. "I look forward to working with Dermot (Crowley CEO) and the rest of the Dalata team into the future as we emerge in a strong position from the current crisis and continue to deliver on our ambitious plans, she said. John Hennessy, Dalata Chairman commented on her appointement. We are delighted to announce the appointment of Carol Phelan as Group CFO. Since joining Dalata in 2014, Carol has played a pivotal role in the development of the Dalata financial reporting, tax planning and treasury functions. The strength of these functions has been demonstrated over the last 12 months as the Group dealt with the impact of COVID-19. "We pride ourselves in Dalata on the quality of our people across the business and of our support of their development and I am very pleased that we are in a position to internally fill the CFO role with someone of Carols calibre who has developed within Dalata. Dermot Crowley, CEO Designate is looking forward to working with the Laois woman. Carol has played a central role within the finance team over the last number of years in what was a period of substantial growth for the business; and, more recently, during a period of unprecedented challenge for our industry. She brings her extensive experience and ability to the role and I look forward to continuing to work alongside Carol in her new position of CFO. Ms Phelans appointment follows the announcement on 2 March 2021 that Dermot Crowley, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Business Development & Finance is to succeed Pat McCann as CEO. Photo: Delphine Diallo As part of our weeklong celebration of natural hair, we asked 11 New Yorkers about going natural for the first time. Some thought about it for years. Others went natural by accident. Some have since returned to different styles. Others have never gone back. Here, they share their natural-hair stories and their best tips for taking care of their curls, Afros, locs. I wet my hair in the shower every morning. Photo: Delphine Diallo I was tired of getting my hair done every two weeks in the salon. I also just wanted a fresh new look that would showcase my face and cheekbones more. Since, Ive tried two-strand twists, bleaching and dyeing it different colors, and even a buzz cut. When Im just wearing my natural curls, I wet my hair in the shower every morning so the curls are fresh. I put in some leave-in conditioner, then I run my fingers through it with Eco Style Olive Oil Gel it makes my set last an entire day. Destiny Owusu, model and influencer, Crown Heights I hydrate it and let it flow. Photo: Delphine Diallo My hair does well when I embrace it; commit to it, love it, hydrate it and let it flow! Dont try to control it. I started wearing my hair like this during my sophomore year of college. My buddy Adrian gave me a haircut, and I never cut the top again. Cameron Carr, account manager, Harlem As I Am leave-in conditioner does wonders for my hair. Photo: Delphine Diallo I had several failed attempts at going natural throughout high school. I would get discouraged, and right when I was making progress, I would go to the Dominican salon to get a blowout. In the fall of 2015, when I was a junior in high school, I decided to officially cut my hair and grow it out. Now, my only challenges are figuring out when Im going to actually do my hair and retaining moisture. If I can crack the code on those two things, my life would have no problems, but Ive found that As I Am Leave-In Conditioner does wonders for my hair. Ive tried so many, and I always come back to that one. Its so moisturizing. Alexis Armstrong, college student, Jamaica, Queens I only retwist my hair once every six weeks or two months. Photo: Delphine Diallo I went natural in 2017. Before, I wasnt able to take care of my hair because Im tender headed and I have coarse hair. My family would relax it but it damaged it over the years. I didnt comb it or anything, and I hated how it looked. I finally decided to cut it because I wanted a fresh start and to take care of it myself instead of turning it over to other people. Now my hair is my crown. I cherish it. My hair has been in locs for two years. I only retwist my hair every six weeks to two months. I learned that retwisting too much thins out your hair at the roots, and thats why sometimes peoples locs detach. My favorite product for retwisting is Cantu Shea Butter Twist & Lock Gel for Natural Hair. It holds the twist without any clips. Chinomso Ononiwu, shift supervisor at a mens shelter, downtown Brooklyn My bed is my comb. Photo: Delphine Diallo I did my first big chop in February 2012. My mom and sister had hair issues, and I didnt want to end up like them. It turns out that I get bored with my hair quickly, and my natural hair makes me want to try new things. In a decade, Ive had different sized Afros, poofs, twist-outs, wash-and-gos, many braided styles, shaved sides, very low cute buns, and blow outs. And I embrace the evolution of a single style over time. My twist-outs start very defined. I dont like to pick it too much because I lose that definition. When I wake up and take my bonnet off, my hairs a little fuller and less defined, so I always say, my bed is my comb. Usually by day five, its an Afro that I put in a puff and gel the edges down. Cardi Bs DIY mask gives my hair a great slip. Photo: Delphine Diallo If I could do it over again, Id definitely do the big chop but I went natural by accident. I had been getting relaxers since I was 9 years old, and this one time, I missed my touch-up. After that, I began to notice my curls starting to form at the roots, so I decided not to relax my hair anymore. Transitioning made the process harder. Now that my curl pattern is flourishing, I have way more confidence with my natural hair than when I first started. Shai Hayes, recording artist, East Orange, New Jersey Everything with my hair takes patience. Photo: Delphine Diallo I shaved my hair off two years ago. I thought it was time to have a full head of natural hair like I always wanted. You know what Ive learned from it? Patience. From detangling to styling, everything with my hair takes patience. Aunt Jackies Dont Shrink Elongating Curling Gel is my go-to product. I use it for most of my protective styles and to style my eyebrows and sideburns. Its great overall and it doesnt flake. I love my hair more now than I did before. The fros like my crown, and I like to stunt with it. Jonathan Emanus, multidisciplinary artist, East New York Chebe powder makes my hair look luxurious. Photo: Delphine Diallo I got my first relaxer when I was 14 years old. I didnt want to, but my mom said it would be easier. My scalp suffered as a result of the chemicals in the perm, and I had seborrheic dermatitis. I went natural during my sophomore year in college, and I never went back. I like to pair Angelic Artistry Avocado Coconut Leave-in Conditioner with Chebe shea butter. Chebe powder [made from a mix of herbs from Chad] is steeped in oil, then incorporated into shea butter. Chebe powders been helping with breakage and makes my hair look luxurious. Cynthia St. Juste, voice-over artist, Flatbush I use too many products to name. Photo: Delphine Diallo I have always had natural curls, but I started wearing weaves around 2007. I did that until 2016, when I got a big chop. My hair had thinned out a lot over time, and I just wanted to start over and embrace my hair in its natural state again. I also got tired of maintaining the sew-ins. At first, I really wasnt doing much to it Id wash and condition it and be on my way. Now, I use heated bonnet caps, oils, leave-ins, aloe vera juice I use too many products to name. Starr Graves, makeup artist, Bushwick I realized I needed to understand my own porosity. Photo: Delphine Diallo When I was 12, I moved from Houston to attend a boarding school in Nigeria. I had to cut my hair as a school requirement, and it was not a cute haircut. I remember crying and picking up pieces of my hair from the floor after my barber session. Over the course of six years, I cut my hair about 40 times. The last time I cut it off was in May 2016 after that, I decided I was ready to take control of my hair. I realized I needed to understand my own porosity and curl pattern and stick to a consistent routine. Once I did that, I was able to navigate my way through the beauty-supply store without feeling overwhelmed. Taliah Waajid African Healing Oyl is a must for me: It has olive oil, almond oil, and vitamin E, which help to seal and maintain moisture after I condition my hair. The bottle and nozzle makes it really easy to carry out oil treatments or eliminate dryness on my scalp. Nneoma Nzeduru, graduate student, Newark I mist my locs with rosewater every morning. Photo: Delphine Diallo I first went natural in my mid-20s, and I started with an Afro before I had locs. I just got tired of fighting with my hair. That period of just being over it intersected with a moment in my life when my politics were shifting. I read a lot, I was vegetarian for some years just experimenting with different ways of being in relationship with the world and with myself, and my body. Going natural just felt right at the time. It was an easy decision. I love the way my babies pull my locs, sometimes try to chew on them, hide behind them when they meet new people or feel shy. Theyre almost like a security blanket. My hair is super-thirsty, but my locs are sensitive to buildup from overusing oils and products, so I mist my locs with rosewater every morning. The scent is nice and uplifting, so its a good way to start. Tiffany Fitzgerald, nonprofit associate director, Clinton Hill Production Credits Photographs by Delphine Diallo Grooming by Chichi Saito at Art Department Casting Assistance by EveryStylishGirl get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. ALBANY - Another protest against police brutality is planned for this weekend in the wake of an incident Wednesday where police pepper-sprayed a band of protesters and two days before the city Common Council decides whether to ban police department use of tear gas. This week's confrontation between several dozen protesters and police took place at the Albany Police Department's South Station, the same site where a protest on May 30, 2020 devolved into a violent confrontation with police that led officers to use tear gas in a residential neighborhood. Unlike last May's protest, Wednesday's action saw tensions ease in the evening, with no protesters present at the station around midnight. But it also highlighted questions about what tactics the police department trains its officers to use when confronted with protesters. Mayor Kathy Sheehan on Thursday refused to comment on the officers use of pepper spray the previous night, saying that she had not had a chance to review any video clips showing the clash between police and protesters. It was our police department that kept those protesters safe as they wandered throughout the city, blocked traffic, Sheehan said. Sheehan said that when someone seeks to damage property, thats when police have an obligation to protect individuals and to protect property," adding that officers have to be able to get in and out of police stations in order to respond to calls. Sheehan said she plans to put out a statement about her planned veto of a bill that aims to ban the city police department from using tear gas. Legacy Casanova, who helped organize Wednesdays protest, said he was disgusted and upset by city police officers' use of pepper spray against protesters. Casanova said the next protest is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Townsend Park, and organizers anticipate the gathering will be larger than Wednesdays, which consisted of around 50 people. Many protesters who attended Wednesdays march, Casanova said, woke up Thursday feeling shaken up from the clash with police, which resulted in no arrests and around 10 people injured by the pepper spray, including a 14-year-old girl. Police Chief Eric Hawkins could not be reached for an interview Thursday, but he said in a statement that an individual broke a window at the station Wednesday and that the "confrontation was not initiated by police officers and officers took the necessary steps to protect themselves and the South Station. As with any other use of force incident, this matter will be reviewed. Hawkins' statement does not fully capture what happened on Wednesday. Police were originally outside South Station on the entrance ramp leading to the doors as protesters concluded their march, which began at Townsend Park. When officers went back inside the building, one protester banged a door window, breaking it. That led seven police to come back outside. Some protestors approached the officers guarding the station and shouted at them. Then an officer quickly pushed at the megaphone of one of the protesters, sending the protester to the ground. After that, another protester climbed over the railing that surrounds the ramp leading to the station's entrance, and an officer pepper-sprayed him in the face, while at least two other officers began to push other protesters away from the entrance, sending them to the ground. Some protesters in response threw water bottles toward the officers. Police continued to deploy pepper spray at protesters as they approached police at the entrance. The confrontation happened at the same time the Common Council was meeting to discuss a bill that would ban city police from using tear gas as they did during last year's confrontations between officers and protesters. The police use of tear gas on May 30 at South Station on Arch Street and June 1 at police headquarters on Henry Johnson Boulevard was criticized after the gas was released in residential neighborhoods affecting residents asleep in their homes. Councilwoman Judy Doesschate is sponsoring the bill, which would still allow individual officers to use pepper spray, but severely restrict the use of tear gas. It would allow officers to use it in situations involving hostages, if nearby residents were given time to evacuate and the police chief decided officers had no other options. The legislation has divided the council as it wrestles with how to be responsive to calls to ban tear gas while also ensuring officers feel they have the ability to control riots. "I don't know what the alternative is. Is it hand to hand for each cop versus protester?" asked Councilman Michael O'Brien during Wednesday's caucus meeting. Doesschate has repeatedly pointed out that the city's own police reform plan that was approved earlier this year calls for the department to end the use of tear gas and find other effective methods of crowd control. Activists have pushed back against any attempts to modify or dilute the bill, saying officers should make better efforts to de-escalate tense situations. On Wednesday, the council debated amendments by Councilman Kelly Kimbrough that would allow tear gas in some situations, including instances of a gathering with 11 or more people who were engaged in violent behavior or property damage. It would require the authorization of the police chief or a deputy chief, similar to the department's existing policy. Kimbrough said he made the amendments in an attempt to make the bill palatable to Sheehan, who told council leadership she would veto Doesschate's version of the bill. "I think we have a responsibility to our residents, to our police officers who are employees of the city of Albany to keep them all safe," he said. Kimbrough's changes did not appear to have the support of the council. "I don't think tear gas can safely be used in an urban setting," said Councilman Jahmel Robinson. The legislation is set for a vote at Monday's council meeting. The city and the council have never held a public inquiry or investigation into the department's use of tear gas last year. Protesters have said the department gave no warning before using tear gas. Others have alleged that officers in armored vehicles followed groups of protesters through the city, tossing tear gas at them or that officers threw tear gas down empty residential streets. During the public safety committee meeting last month, several department members, including Chief Hawkins, made no apology for how it deployed the gas on either night. They explained that protesters threw Moltov cocktails, large fireworks and bricks at officers. One officer recalled her wife picking glass out of her hair after a brick was thrown through her patrol car as she responded to the protest on May 30. When council members asked what changes would be made for future incidents, the department said one of its priorities was to buy a louder speaker system so that protesters and residents could hear any warnings of impending tear gas use. It also said it would use social media to alert residents of what steps they should take if tear gas came into their homes. The council, for its part, panned the departments presentation, saying they expected more in terms of the lessons the department learned from last years protests. It will be 20 years in September since then-Australian prime minister John Howard pledged open ended support for US military action in Afghanistan after the September 11 terror attacks. In that time, 41 Australian soldiers have died in the longest war Australia has ever fought. There are currently 80 Australian military personnel still there, but after US President Joe Biden announced he would withdraw American forces, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has followed suit. On this episode of Please Explain, Tory Maguire speaks national security and foreign affairs reporter Anthony Galloway about the end of Australias involvement in the Afghanistan war. Bengaluru-based Lo! Foods on Friday said it has raised USD 1 million (about Rs 7.4 crore) in funding, led by the Chona Family Office, the erstwhile promoters of Havmor Ice Cream. The pre-series A round also saw participation from Ecosystem Ventures, Raveen Sastry (Co-Founder, Multiply Ventures), KRS Jamwal, Pratyush Prasanna (Gojek) among others, a statement said. The funds will be used towards accelerating growth, strengthening existing distribution networks and ramping up marketing, it added. Started in 2019 by Sudarshan Gangrade, Lo! Foods offers low-carb and Keto-friendly packaged products. It also has also ramped up to 20 cloud kitchens across Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurugram and Hyderabad that offer fresh low-carb food on demand through food delivery apps. * * * * AnKa SumMor raises Rs 3 cr funding led by Inflection Point Ventures * AnKa SumMor, a Sales and Distribution (S&D) platform for the FMCG sector, on Friday said it has raised Rs 3 crore in funding, led by Inflection Point Ventures. The funding from the pre-series A round will be utilised towards scaling business in Hyderabad and Chennai with improved infrastructure, coverage, and branding, a statement said. The funds will also be used for expanding operations to Bengaluru, along with technology development and deployment, it added. AnKa SumMor has covered over 2,600 stores, working with 10 brands so far McVities, Yoga Bar, Wai Wai, Paper Boat, Yellow Diamond, Bombay Shaving Company, Spice Story, Budweiser, Om Bhakti and Again Drinks. (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.) This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Minneapolis, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Apr, 2021 ) :Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin said Thursday that he would not testify at his murder trial for the death of George Floyd, as a policewoman facing charges for the killing of another Black American made her first court appearance. Kim Potter, 48, charged with second-degree manslaughter for the death of Daunte Wright, was ordered during a brief Zoom hearing to appear before a county judge on May 17. Wright's shooting in a Minneapolis suburb on Sunday -- during which Potter appears to have mistakenly fired her gun instead of her Taser -- further fueled tensions in the Minnesota city already on edge amid Chauvin's trial. Both Chauvin and Potter are white while Floyd and Wright were African Americans. "Over and over again, they come up with justifications," said Ben Crump, a lawyer for the Wright family. "We're done accepting the justifications, America." The prosecution and defense in Chauvin's trial rested on Thursday after the state called a final witness and Chauvin said he would exercise his constitutional right against self-incrimination. "I will invoke my Fifth Amendment privilege today," Chauvin told Judge Peter Cahill. "Is this your decision -- not to testify?" the judge asked the former police officer, who was wearing a gray suit with a dark blue shirt and dark blue tie. "It is, your honor," Chauvin said. The 45-year-old Chauvin was recorded kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd for more than nine minutes during his May 25, 2020 arrest in Minneapolis for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill. A bystander video of the arrest went viral and sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality in the United States and around the world. Cahill gave the nine-woman, five-man jury a day off on Friday before closing arguments Monday. The judge reminded the jurors that they would be sequestered for their deliberations and told them they should "plan for long and hope for short" when packing their bags. - 'Accountability' - Potter, who resigned from the police department of Brooklyn Center, a suburb of the Midwestern city of Minneapolis, after Wright's shooting during a traffic stop, spoke just a few words during her Zoom court appearance. She was asked by Judge Paul Scoggin if she was present in her attorney's office. "Yes, I am," said Potter, who has been free on $100,000 bail. A 26-year police veteran, Potter faces a maximum of 10 years in jail if convicted of second-degree manslaughter. Wright's mother Katie Wright said she wants "accountability, 100 percent, the highest accountability. "But even then, when that happens -- if that even happens -- we're still going to bury our son... So when people say 'Justice,' I just shake my head," she said. Minneapolis was rocked by demonstrations following Floyd's death and there have been nightly protests in the city since Wright's shooting, some violent. And police were facing outrage in another Midwestern city as Chicago officials released video Thursday of an officer shooting a 13-year-old Latino boy dead last month. The body camera footage, which Mayor Lori Lightfoot called "excruciating," shows teenager Adam Toledo running from police before he is shot in the chest as he stops and raises his hands. "It's horrifying, traumatic, and another reminder of the police brutality epidemic we continue to face in America -- and the urgent need for police reform!!" Floyd and Wright family lawyer Crump tweeted about the case. - Carbon monoxide - At the Chauvin trial, prosecutors called a final witness on Thursday to rebut testimony by a medical expert for the defense who said Floyd's death was due to underlying heart disease and the illegal drugs fentanyl and methamphetamine. David Fowler, former chief medical examiner of the state of Maryland, said Thursday the handcuffed Floyd was held face down on the ground next to the exhaust pipe of a running police car, and that carbon monoxide poisoning was a potential additional factor in Floyd's death. Prosecutors called Martin Tobin, a pulmonologist who testified previously, back to the witness stand, where he said he did not see any evidence of carbon monoxide poisoning in Floyd's blood. Tobin and other medical experts called by the prosecution said Floyd's death was caused by a "low level of oxygen" from Chauvin's neck restraint and not due to drugs or pre-existing conditions. Several police officers also testified that excessive force was used on Floyd and Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo said Chauvin had violated the department's training policies and its "values." Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge -- second-degree murder. A 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department, Chauvin was fired from the force after Floyd's death. Three other former police officers involved in Floyd's arrest are to be tried separately later this year. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The man who police say fatally shot eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis is a former employee. FedEx spokesperson Bonny Harrison released the information Friday. FedEx spokesperson Bonny Harrison released the information Friday. She says company officials can't speculate on a motive but are working closely with investigators. Police: 8 dead in shooting at FedEx facility in Indianapolis Two law enforcement officials briefed on the matter identified the suspect as 19-year-old Brandon Scott Hole of Indiana. The officials spoke to The Associated Press anonymously as they were not authorized to release the information. Police scoured a Fedex facility in Indianapolis and searched the suspected gunman's home Friday. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain As the world plunged into the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Sona Dimidjian knew a parallel and more silent crisis was brewing in mental health. Dimidjian, a CU Boulder psychology professor, immediately saw a trifecta of trouble: COVID-19 disrupted our basic daily routines, upended socializing and delivered a flood of uncertainty. "People were challenged to navigate each of those issues right from the get-go, and we know they've led to more depression, anxiety, substance abuse, domestic violence ... a whole host of problems," said Dimidjian, also the director of the Renee Crown Wellness Institute, which focuses on research and programs to develop healthy young adults. The statistics back her up. A September 2020 survey from the Colorado Health Foundation found 77% of Coloradans reported anxiety, loneliness or stress related to COVID-19. Dimidjian and her CU colleagues say there are simple, research-based strategies that can offer relief. "Good science is our guide, and my team has been doing research on how to treat and prevent these issues for the last 20 years," Dimidjian said. "The good news is that the lessons learned are very relevant to the challenges we face today." Behavioral Activation The first coping strategy, called behavioral activation (BA), is based on the idea that you can change how you feel by changing what you do. Studies have shown it can sometimes quell depression just as well as medication. That's why Dimidjian also calls BA "behavioral antidepressants." "We know that being involved in activities that give us a sense of accomplishment, enjoyment and control is critical to a positive mood," she said. BA invites people to research the connection between their daily habits and moods: Which activities are draining? Which ones add pleasure, enjoyment or a sense of mastery? BA participants then add at least one pleasurable and one mastery activity to their schedule every day to make them a normal part of their lives. Dimidjian is seeing BA workeven without the aid of mental health professionalsin research at the Crown Institute, where new and expectant women suffering from perinatal depression help each other apply BA skills. Erin Wood, research participant and mother of two from Franktown, Colorado, said she found BA helpful not only during and after pregnancy, but also as the pandemic unfolded. "Even though I didn't have to take a shower or get dressed, it was important to feel like I was accomplishing something," Wood said. Acknowledgement The second coping tool is to acknowledge how the pandemic is disrupting your life. "It's normal to grieve for lost experiences, to feel uncertain about the future and to be angry about the state of the world," said Roselinde Kaiser, assistant professor in CU's Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. "These emotions don't make us weak, flawed or powerless. Understand that stresseven coronavirus-related stresscan be an opportunity for new growth." June Gruber, director of CU's Positive Emotion and Psychopathology Lab, said negative emotionsfear, anger or sadnessare normal. "Instead of suppressing or criticizing yourself for those emotions, accepting them as being valid may stave off spiraling into more clinically significant symptoms of depression or anxiety," Gruber said. Kaiser suggests that after acknowledging your emotions, you can reflect on and list the issues affecting your emotions and thoughts. Then, inventory your best coping strategies and responses to stress: "Think about what's worked well for you in the past and why it was successful," Kaiser said. Next, brainstorm how you might adjust your coping strategies to the pandemic. If exercise helps but your gym is closed, see if you can find a workout online. Finally, approach it like an experiment. "You're testing new ways of building wellness," Kaiser said. "Some will work better than others." Mindfulness Dimidjian said a third tool, mindfulness, is a way to stay grounded in the present moment. "Mindfulness helps us become aware of our thinking patterns and reorients us toward the present," she said. "And that frees us from that sense of dread about the future." To become more mindful, Dimidjian suggests taking a few minutes each day to notice your breath, sensations in your body and any anxious or upsetting thoughts. Learning to pay attention to what you're doingwhether it's eating, walking or listening to musicand noticing when your attention wanes is what makes a mindful life, she said. Kaiser added that even though the pandemic has led to "a profound disruption" to daily life and routines, humans can learn to cope. "You may find that you discover new resilience-boosting skills that serve you not only during the pandemic but for years to come," she said. Explore further Online mindfulness may improve mental health during COVID-19 pandemic Around six in ten young women feel anxious about being out on the streets more as the UK emerges from lockdown, a new study has found. Research, shared exclusively with The Independent, discovered almost half of the women who are suffering from anxiety about being out in public say safety and harassment is their biggest reason for feeling worried. The study comes after Sarah Everards killing spawned a surge of anger as women shared personal stories about being sexually harassed, assaulted, or abused by men in public spaces in the daytime or at night. Researchers at a market research company called Appinio, who polled a nationally representative sample of 1,000 people aged between 16 and 24 in the UK, also discovered one quarter of young women feel uncomfortable in their body. Maya Tutton, who runs the Our Streets Now campaign to end street harassment with her sister Gemma, told The Independent: While shocking, I wouldnt say these findings are particularly surprising. "At Our Streets Now, we hear daily from woman, girls and people of marginalised genders who feel anxious and fear harassment when out in public spaces. This curtails their everyday life and infringes upon their fundamental human rights. From unwanted sexual comments about someones body, to men following them, to indecent exposure, and assault on the street - the one things all these intrusions share is they are about power, patriarchy and oppression. Ms Tutton said the fact Plan International UK research found one in three girls in this country has been harassed in their school uniforms is a stark example of how unequal power dynamics are always at the heart of sexual harassment. She explained they had launched a campaign on bus stops, in shopping centres and on street side billboards across the country this week aiming to reclaim the space denied to such a big proportion of society due to public sexual harassment. The campaign, launched with leading charity Plan International UK, shares the stories of three girls, two women and one gender non-conforming persons experiences of abuse in public spaces. A recent survey by UN Women found 97 per cent of young women in the UK said they had been sexually harassed, while 80 per cent reported experiencing sexual harassment in public spaces. Researchers, who polled more than 1,000 women aged between 18 to 24, found the sexual harassment included being groped, followed and coerced into sexual activity. Reflecting on the latest research, Deniz Ugur, deputy director of End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: The fact that so many young women are worried about sexual harassment. And are feeling anxious about being out on the streets following the easing of restrictions should be yet another clear message to the government that women are experiencing unacceptable levels of sexual harassment. And that they urgently need to address the root causes that excuse and normalise this behaviour. Enough is enough. A study that came out last spring found young women say sexual harassment, including men indecently exposing themselves, has become worse during the lockdown. Plan International UK, who polled more than 1,000 women aged between 14 and 21, found one in five women have suffered harassment on the streets since the government implemented stringent social distancing measures with a fifth of them saying the issue of harassment has got worse in lockdown. Rose Caldwell, chief executive of Plan International UK, said: All women and girls should feel safe in public spaces, yet they still continue to face harassment every day. Theyre being followed, shouted at, touched and groped and it needs to stop. Currently, there is no UK law that fully criminalises public sexual harassment, leaving perpetrators to get away with it. As one girl told us, you can be fined for dropping litter in the UK, but not for harassing a woman or girl in public. This cannot be right. We know that the government is considering criminalising public sexual harassment. Chief Economic Adviser K V Subramanian on Friday said that the is in better shape to address the challenge of the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic compared to last year as vaccines have been developed and vaccination drives are taking place. The uncertainty is much lower, said Subramanian. He was responding to a question by Raghava Rao, vice president finance and India CFO at Amazon India, about how he sees the economy recovering in the country, during the e-commerce firms flagship Smbhav event. On saving lives and livelihoods, Subramanian said the government was driven by the simple goal of saving lives throughout the pandemic. If you read the Mahabharata, there is this objective very clearly mentioned, Saving a life that is in jeopardy is the origin of dharma, said Subramanian. The essence of that was to actually save lives, which is what the government focused on at the start of the pandemic. We have sort of emerged from there. Now there is a second covid wave, according to Subramanian, and people need to be careful about it and follow all the regulations. Overall, compared to the previous episode, we are in a better shape because the vaccine is already out there and vaccination drives are proceeding. One key thing that has stood out during the pandemic is the role of e-commerce and digitisation that India has embraced. I think the most salient example of this is if you take the way in which essentials were provided to you know almost 800 million people in India, said Subramanian. This was done through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the use of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-mobile. Comparing such an initiative with most advanced economies like the U.S, Subramanian said that the US had to first physically print out cheques and get them signed, put them in envelopes and mail them through the United States Postal Service. After receiving the cheques, people had to deposit them in bank ATMs and then had to withdraw the cash. It is a process that took 45 days to two months, which India did at the click of a button, said Subramanian. That illustrates the embracing of digital technologies by India, not only in the private sector but in the government as well. Digital transactions have grown significantly. In many sectors including transport, digital technologies have been used. The GST (goods and services tax) platform GST platform uses a lot of analytics to track taxes. I think the is really equipped to usher in significant growth, that is happening in e-commerce, said Subramanian. He highlighted the importance of viewing data as a public good, where it is about of the people, by the people and for the people. That is an area where public-private partnerships can be really critical. The value-added data that can actually be generated by these public-private partnerships can be useful in healthcare, finance, trade, trade credit. Also, technologies such as blockchain would play a key role in pushing better data and at the same time take care of the privacy protocols. India is among the leading economies in terms of embracing this change, said Subramanian. India will definitely benefit from this change that has been brought by the Covid pandemic. E-commerce has a role to help Indian small and medium businesses to reach out to customers globally and compete with other firms. Subramanian said a key aspect that promoters and entrepreneurs must take into account is that countries such as Japan and China have grown via exports in the last 50 years. One fact that stands out very clearly is that in almost all cases, they started out by assembling in particular sectors and then integrated backwards and forwards in the value chain. I think the automobile sector in India is a brilliant example of that and the electronic sector now is also another example, said Subramanian. Maruti started assembling Suzuki components for the car. Initially, it was only about assembly, but later the entire sector grew with a lot of small and medium enterprises, contributing to the ancillary segment. That led to a mushrooming of SMEs in this space, who produced world-class components and they were able to export them to different countries. There are a few key learning here. For a labour-intensive economy like India, companies must be looking at the potential that exists. We've actually talked about that potential, to contribute to the $5 trillion economy, said Subramanian. He was of the view that companies can look to assemble in India. For example, Apples iPhone is assembled in China. The other learning is for SMEs to actually focus on becoming globally competitive. That is important for them if they have to compete in the international markets. This is where the idea of self-reliant or Atmanirbhar Bharat is extremely critical. Dear Bel My story goes back to around 9 years ago. At 25 I was living at home with Mum and Dad. He lost his job as a carpenter, which led to a catastrophic breakdown. He and my mother had been married for almost 35 years and although we supported him as best we could, his entire personality and outlook on life changed. He was no longer the wonderful, caring, rock of a father Id depended on. The situation worsened as I sided with Mum. Dad seemed the guilty party. Things were said that shouldnt have been, and things became so bad we had to move away. They divorced; our lovely family home was sold. There was so much hurt and anger, I barely recognised the person Id become. I couldnt see a way of forgiving Dad. Time passed. With encouragement from Mum and my sister (whod stayed close to him), I made peace with him. It was uneasy to begin with and I was very cautious of him, but hed always find a way to say he was sorry. Looking back, I know I was just as much the guilty party, I said some despicable things, and never actually asked Dad how he was feeling. I was due to marry last May (cancelled due to Covid) and I knew he was excited at the thought of walking me down the aisle. Then he was diagnosed with cancer related to the carpentry hed done for nearly 60 years. Wed only just begun to process the diagnosis before he passed away last October, Mum, Sis and I at his bedside for four days. I know he knew we were there. My problem is this huge feeling of guilt. Was everything said that needed to be said? Did he know how I feel? Will our lives be able to carry on without him? I lost him once and got him back, but now Ive lost him again, and need to come to terms with the fact hes not coming back. Ill never have the Father of the Bride dance with Dad, and he wont see the women my sister and I turn out to be. We wasted so much time on the sad rupture but maybe it needed to happen for us to all come full circle. I cant come to terms with words I said which can now never be taken back. How can I forgive myself? LEIGH This week Bel Mooney advises a reader who regrets not making amends with her late father. Your sad letter makes me reflect on forgiveness - something of an obsession of mine. What happened in your family is (sadly) very common indeed: a terrible falling-out due to a change in circumstances which nobody is strong enough to deal with. Your poor father lost his lifelong, much-loved job as a carpenter and had a breakdown. Neither you nor your mother could cope, the rows began, furious accusations and counter-accusations were hurled, life became intolerable. Your story shows why Ive advised people to imagine how theyd feel at the funeral of the one they quarrelled with. But Leigh, there is nothing to do now but accept what happened, think hard and use it to teach you the true meaning of love. There is no forgetting; there is only coming to terms with our faults, mistakes and regrets. The moment of release might come if you try this: sit still, breathe deeply, close your eyes, hold out your open palms in acceptance, and whisper, Im sorry, Dad. Ive done this more than once recently, thinking about my own late father and its helped me to realise that, for all my faults and his, the love between us still outweighs all the rest. Your natural grief is made worse by remorse, so try to believe that at the end your dad did indeed know that his family were at his bedside, united, focussing on him with love. Truly, I believe he must have known, simply because love (ital) is (ital) stronger than death. That, Leigh, was the time of forgiveness, beyond words. Now let me introduce you to Margaret, who is also grieving. She writes: Dear Bel, My beloved husband died last month after battling a stroke and dementia. We were together for 50 years. My mind accepts he died and I will never see him again, but my heart cant. Neither of us believed in the afterlife . . . but its hard. How do I accept his death and tell my heart I will never hear his voice again? You are both asking the hardest question of all: how we can carry on living without the beloved dead. I have read countless books on bereavement and know there is no single piece of advice to help. But we can still hold out hands to each other. Margaret doesnt believe in an afterlife; you, Leigh, grieve that your father wont see your future. Yet none of us can know what happens after death. In any case, my own faith is in the indestructibility of the spirit, given all its power by love. I believe we carry our precious dead along with us, living on their behalf, noticing the glory of the world all the more because we are looking for them as well. Their voices are in the air we breathe, we listen with their ears and our hearts beat for them and with them, sounding a message of love and sorrow and acceptance which can never be silenced. Im gay but I havent told my wife Dear Bel, I am a married man with young children, but Im actually gay. I always knew it but never admitted it for fear of the reaction. I think my mother suspected, but has never confronted me; she does make the odd negative comment about gays and I feel uncomfortable. My father would be devastated and even if my parents died I could never come out, never truly be myself. The guilt would be too much. I always wanted children, and my wife is oblivious to the truth. I know she loves me, as I do her. Im a good husband, father and provider and would never put my wifes health at risk because of what goes on in my other life. Contact Bel Bel answers readers' questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, or email bel.mooney@dailymail.co.uk. Names are changed to protect identities. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Advertisement My job allowed me to travel and keep my two lives separate. But lockdown changed things, and I cant see myself travelling as much as I used to. My company is saying I can work from home with just the odd trip to head office. The prospect fills me with dread, as I wont be able to give a reason for staying away. Im becoming depressed, feel trapped and cant see a way out. While I genuinely love my wife and children, I feel the loss of the other side of my identity. I cant share this with anybody close to me. Am I the only person like this? Am I destined to live the rest of my life feeling trapped and longing for the other side of my life that makes me happy and complete? DANIEL Other men and women have found themselves in your situation and Im sure all would agree that to deny your true sexuality is to choose a life of deceit, stress, unhappiness and anxiety. Since you have fathered children with the wife you love, have you considered whether you might be on the bisexual spectrum? Sexual definitions seem increasingly complicated these days, but why should you bother about them? You see yourself as having two distinct personalities, with different needs a situation at once very complicated and uncomfortably simple. The complicated bit is that you love your wife and children and the good life you have created together, while admitting that it only satisfies a part of your nature. That exists side by side with a blindingly simple truth: when you enjoy a homosexual encounter (no matter how fleeting), you are cheating on the wife you love. If a friend were to confide that he loves his wife and children dearly, but when working away he picks up women in bars and sleeps with them, what would you think? I suspect you might judge him. You say you could never come out, even if your parents were dead. I was interested to read that Kate Winslet recently said she knows of at least four well-known actors who are gay but are afraid to admit it. In their case, its apparently because theyre worried they wont get straight roles. In your case, I suspect you were brought up to see homosexuality as wrong and so chose to live a lie because of fear and shame. You wanted children, so Im wondering if that deep urge pushed you towards heterosexual marriage. Have you used your wife? Some might say so. Like anyone serially unfaithful, you must have lived in fear of one of those illicit lovers blowing your cover. It took a lot of courage for you to write, and its clear from your longer letter that you are terrified of your other self being discovered. So what to do? The organisation Switchboard runs a LGBT+ helpline, which you can call on 0300 330 0630. But what if you are urged to come out? You wont, will you? For now, Im afraid youre destined to endure frustration and depression, feeling trapped by the family you love. One day that may change and youll tell your wife the truth. Shell be shocked and devastated. But she may learn to live with that knowledge and the new you. For now, pitying your confusion and pain, I hope an understanding voice on the telephone might provide some reassurance that you are not alone. And finally: The blessing that made my week... It was just another cold day, reading letters, writing my column when a single email made me happy. It sped across continents from Ayesha S a Pakistani woman who is fast approaching the ripe age of 40. Her glorious letter reminded me how words can reach out to different cultures shared human emotions unrestricted by boundaries of race and religion that are sadly (often destructively) put up between people. Ayesha just loves this column and lets pause right there to celebrate the internet that can bring us together. One day my son came home brandishing his class 1 English textbook and while glancing through, my eye suddenly fell upon one of your short stories and the squeal of excited joy I gave made me realise that I had started thinking of you as a friend! Ayesha tells me how she loves people, how an elderly man told her about his two brilliant, successful and accomplished sons who live abroad and all he wanted was for one of them to return to their home country because he missed them so much. She describes a wedding where a neighbour described her husband as sooo handsome. When Ayesha finally met the ordinary older man she found it so sweet how his wife felt he was George Clooney and Cary Grant all rolled into one! Mourning her beloved cousin (Covid, of course), she says we must all tell people how we feel. So Bel thank you for every well modulated, carefully chosen word you write in your column since it gives me sitting in my breezy, beach-side vibrant city of Karachi such pleasure. I wish you and your family the very best of health, happiness and love always. To paraphrase an Irish blessing: may the road rise up to meet you, may the sun shine golden upon your fields, may your hearth always be lit and your home always ring with the laughter of family and friends. Ayeshas Irish-Pakistani blessing from Karachi made my week. "Everyone makes mistakes. However, when dealing with a car insurance company, drivers should avoid doing costly mistakes", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Carinsuranceplan.org has launched a new blog post that presents several car insurance mistakes that should be avoided. For more info and online car insurance quotes, visit https://carinsuranceplan.org/major-car-insurance-mistakes/ For many drivers, car insurance is an expensive investment. Any mistake can be costly and the policyholder can end up wasting hundreds, or even thousands of dollars each year. Drivers should avoid doing the following major car insurance mistakes: Choosing a high deductible. As long as a driver can afford to pay it, it is good to have a high deductible. Many drivers that want to pay lower car insurance rates are choosing higher deductibles. However, raising the deductible may not make a major difference depending on the policyholder's driving record and type of vehicle. Drivers that have bad driving records won't save that much on their premiums if they choose a higher deductible. Sacrificing coverage for lower premiums. There are many insurers that brag they offer the lowest insurance prices. That doesn't mean they are the best companies or they offer the best services. A cheap policy is not always equal to a quality product. Drivers should ensure they are not purchasing just the minimum required coverage in order to save a few bucks. Drivers who select to carry just the lowest limits required by law, are putting themselves at risk. Drivers are recommended to carry enough coverage to protect the value of their cars and assets. Not buying Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage. Uninsured drivers are putting honest drivers at risk every day. In case of an accident, the uninsured driver does not have the liability coverage to pay for the medical bills or property damage coverage to pay for the damage they have done. Not checking the provider. Before purchasing coverage from a company, drivers should check that company's financial solvency. By doing so, drivers will avoid signing an insurance deal with a company that doesn't pay reimbursements. For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://carinsuranceplan.org/ Carinsuranceplan.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. When Concentric and Ginkgo Bioworks presented us with the opportunity to leverage our collective expertise, it was an obvious, ideal union and one that were very excited about CIAN Diagnostics, the premier COVID-19 testing facility, is partnering with the epidemiological tracing and vaccine experts at Ginkgo Bioworks to ramp up pooled testing for schools across the country. As more and more schools reopen for in-person learning, the critical role of routine COVID testing is expanding exponentially. As teachers, parents and guardians become eligible for vaccines, clinical trials for children and teens are just beginning and remain clouded in uncertainty. As a result, the tracking of this viral spread remains more critical than ever. To attack the pandemic head-on, Maryland-based CIAN Diagnostics and Boston-based Concentric by Ginkgo have focused their efforts on a scalable and simple testing modality on-site pooled testing. This approach protects our children, expedites the re-opening of schools and gives parents and guardians a sense of security during their workday. CIAN has been a pillar and pioneer for COVID testing in the Northeast and nationally," said CIAN CEO Kyle Koeppler. "Our talented staff performs high-volume testing as a preferred partner for state testing, employers, schools, nursing homes and organizations across the country. CIAN's pioneering pooled testing efforts began in September of 2020 and validated the process for screening and surveillance, with more than 30,000 pooled tests to date. When Concentric and Ginkgo Bioworks presented us with the opportunity to leverage our collective expertise, it was an obvious, ideal union and one that were very excited about. Concentric by Ginkgo's goal is to provide easy, affordable pooled testing to every school in the U.S. Pooled classroom testing combines swabs from all consenting individuals in a classroom. The swabs are then processed as a single test, significantly increasing capacity and lowering costs. Concentric currently works with hundreds of schools across the country. Were excited to partner with CIAN and provide much-needed capacity for pooled testing in schools," said Jason Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Ginkgo Bioworks. "This type of low-cost, large-scale, regular testing is perfect for schools and allows communities to test every student, every week. Were thrilled at Concentric to be working in Maryland with Baltimore City Public Schools and Montgomery County, and hundreds of other schools across the country. Our weekly testing can help inform mitigation efforts, interrupt chains of transmission and keep kids and teachers in the classroom with confidence. CIAN Diagnostics is a high throughput CLIA and COLA certified laboratory operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. CIAN employs approximately 190 employees in Frederick, Maryland and occupies more than 40,000-square-feet of technical space, 10,000-square-feet of Research and Development space and 50,000-square-feet of warehouse space. CIAN Diagnostics molecular platform supports individual COVID-19 testing, on-site Pooled testing, COVID-19 Antibody testing, and bio-banking to name a few. CIAN Diagnostics strength lies with its ability to perform during times of flex, innovate to market demands, and maintain a creative vision across the diagnostic landscape. To request more information on how CIAN can support your needs, visit http://www.ciandx.com. About Ginkgo Bioworks Concentric by Ginkgo is Ginkgo Bioworks' public health and biosecurity effort. Headquartered in Boston, Ginkgo uses the most advanced technology on the planet biology to grow better products. The company's cell programming platform is enabling the growth of biotechnology across diverse markets, from food to fragrance to pharmaceuticals. Ginkgo is also actively supporting a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including community testing, epidemiological tracing, vaccine development and therapeutics discovery. For more information, visit http://www.ginkgobioworks.com. State lawmakers appear prepared to dismantle the controversial road projects that would have built more than 300 miles of new toll roads across rural parts of Florida. A House committee Friday advanced with little discussion a bill that would repeal the project, setting up for a floor vote, the last stop before making it to Gov. Ron DeSantis desk. The bill has already passed the Senate. Senate Bill 100 would repeal the unusual, and controversial, road plan passed by lawmakers just two years ago but keep some parts alive. A top priority in 2019 of then-Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, the plan circumvented Floridas normal road-building process by requiring the Department of Transportation to extend the Suncoast Parkway to the Georgia border, extend Floridas Turnpike to the Suncoast and build a third route linking Polk and Collier counties, long nicknamed the Heartland Parkway. Typically, new roads are determined by need, as identified by the Department of Transportation and local officials. Lawmakers approved the 2019 projects without any study showing such a need and absent a prior identification as a priority by state transportation and local officials. Almost unilaterally, Galvano said the roads were needed to boost the economies in rural parts of the state. Since then, opposition to the projects has grown among environmental groups, which fear urban sprawl in some of the remaining remote areas of the state. Leadership of several communities along the route said they dont want the projects, either. The bill lawmakers are considering this year repeals the 2019 law and the tight deadlines the state had to complete the projects. It effectively ends the Heartland Parkway route, easing fears that the project would render the Florida panther extinct. It modifies the two other routes: It orders the state to make improvements to U.S. Highway 19, from the Suncoast Parkway up to Interstate 10 in Madison County, by 2035. Story continues It orders the state to plan to extend Floridas Turnpike from Wildwood, where it currently ends, to a logical and appropriate terminus determined by the department. Environmental groups have been cautiously optimistic but warned that the state should include money for water and other environmental efforts. Clearly this bill is a better deal and less destructive than [the bill its repealing], said Lindsay Cross, government relations director for Florida Conservation Voters. This bill must be coupled with full and consistent conservation funding. State lawmakers said this year that the economic pressures of the pandemic made the roads no longer feasible. Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, who shepherded the bill through the Senate, said in March that the more than 300 miles of new toll roads were a fiscal cliff for the state. Youre talking about billions of dollars in bonding, Harrell said last month. Its very, very doubtful that you would have the ability to pay for those bonds with Turnpike monies. The ability to pay for the projects was a concern from the start, and a reason why previous governors, including former Gov. Jeb Bush, abandoned proposals for a Heartland Parkway. Last year, the conservative think tank Florida TaxWatch called the Suncoast stretch a risky project with little demonstrated transportation need. Anti-Semitic blogger Alison Chabloz (pictured outside court last month) An anti-Semitic blogger who said 'Hitler was right' and that Jewish people use the Holocaust as an 'eternal cash cow' claims she should not have been prosecuted after she was jailed for 18 weeks. Alison Chabloz, 57, is appealing against the sentence which was imposed at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month. She made 'grossly offensive' anti-Semitic remarks on a US podcast which she promoted via a social media website called Gab. The site is popular with far-right extremists. Those comments breached a previous suspended sentence imposed in 2018 for broadcasting anti-Semitic songs. Chabloz was convicted of three counts of sending by a public communications network an offensive, indecent or menacing message or material. The music teacher, who launched an unsuccessful appeal of her previous conviction, is now appealing her latest prison sentence at Southwark Crown Court. Adrian Davies, defending, told the court that the prosecution over the podcast comments was 'disproportionate'. Referring to the US' lack of hate speech laws, he added: 'If she had been physically in the United States of America when she made the comments, there couldn't have been a prosecution.' Benn Maguire, prosecuting, interjected: 'That is agreed, but she wasn't.' The court was told that Chabloz's 2018 conviction was the result of her uploading videos of her performing songs calling the Nazi death camp Auschwitz a 'theme park for fools'. She made 'grossly offensive' anti-Semitic remarks on a US podcast which she promoted via a social media website called Gab 'The nature of the songs that were the subject matter of the original offences was that the Jewish people were profiting from the Holocaust and it was also laughing at the victims of the Holocaust,' said the prosecutor. Chabloz said that Jewish children were 'psychopathic maniacs' because of their parents and that there was 'no proof of the Holocaust whatsoever', the court heard. Judge David Tomlinson said: 'There are limits to freedom of speech, and this sort of language is calculated to incite hatred. 'There is no other interpretation that can be placed on it.' Remanding Chabloz in custody ahead of an appeal date to be fixed, the judge added: 'She needs to understand that nothing like the maximum penalty was imposed and she may find herself on the receiving end of a longer sentence of imprisonment. Chabloz's 2018 conviction was the result of her uploading videos of her performing songs calling the Nazi death camp Auschwitz a 'theme park for fools' Chabloz, of St Johns Wood, Westminster, Central London, did not attend the latest hearing and had denied the charges against her. Holocaust denial is not a specific crime in the UK, which is why she was convicted under communications offences instead. In the songs over which she was previously convicted, Chabloz, who refers to herself a 'historical revisionist', sang: 'Did the Holocaust ever happen? 'Was it just a bunch of lies? Seems that some intend to pull the wool over our eyes.' The Holocaust denier appealed against the convictions - but a judge upheld them at Southwark Crown Court in February 2019. The musician claims in the podcasts that Jewish parents are 'indoctrinating their children that their grandparents were gassed because they were Jews', turning the children into 'psychopathic maniacs', the court heard. She also claimed the Auschwitz gas chambers were fake, and that Jews 'were promoting homosexuality, promiscuity, the same things they are promoting today' in Weimar Germany. Lawyer Mr Davies, formerly of the British Democratic Party, previously represented high-profile Holocaust denier David Irving. Chabloz had been banned from broadcasting, posting on the internet or in any form, any reference to Judaism, the Jewish faith, the Jewish people, the Holocaust, World War Two, Israel, or any member of the Nazi party. A Yemeni model and actress, who aspired to make a career in fashion, was abducted from Sanaa street by the Iran-backed Houthi militia on Thursday. The 20-year-old Entesar Al-Hammadi had posed for pictures without a hijab and was picked off the street for 'violating Islamic culture and dress code. Slamming her as a bad influence, the Houthis are planning to prosecute her in a kangaroo court for corrupt behaviour and noncompliance to Islamic norms, as per reports. Earlier, two of her colleagues with a fashion career went missing after they were similarly abducted on February 20 in the rebel-controlled Yemeni capital, Sanaa. Al-Hammadis abduction and her prosecution is believed to be a part of a crackdown against the Islamic shariah law violators and liberals in the Houthis controlled part of the country, where women are subjected to an oppressive regime in male-controlled and conservative Islamic governance system. An Amnesty International report describes Yemen as one of the worst places in the world to be a woman. It said that the women survived in oppressive, deteriorating conditions, stripped of equality. The organization quoted a woman from Maarib on condition of anonymity as saying: I dont feel like a human being. The Yemeni woman continued that there were increased gender roles in the region, I cant breathe properly like other human beings. We suffer from the forced niqab [hijaab and purdah system], child marriage, divorce shame, domestic violence and honour killings. Al-Hammadi had, similarly, drawn excessive criticism from religious conservatives for posing without a hijab, and pursuing a career in modelling. The part-time actress was on her way to shoot for a TV drama series when she was kidnapped for prosecution for dissidents and alleged immoral acts. Entisar al-Hammadi, a Yemeni model was kidnapped by the Iran-backed Houthis in the capital Sanaa #FreeEntisar #Yemen pic.twitter.com/rhKbEjSA7B Herry. Save Yemen (@HerryNapit) April 11, 2021 Wanted to enroll in college The Yemini model, born to a Yemeni father and an Ethiopian mother, despite being born in a conservative society pursued her ambition passionately. According to Al-Arabiya, at a young age, Al Hammadi wore her mothers clothes imitated famous models whom she watched keenly on TV, learning their styles. Her parents told her that her dream of becoming a model was pie in the sky. I said that it was my dream and I would keep pursuing it, she told a TV interview in Arabic last year. The young woman planned to enroll at a college next year. Her stunning photographs clicked by a professional photographer came to the notice of conservatives after they circulated on social media. President Rivlin tapped Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government. He has 28 days to try to put together a coalition and if he doesnt succeed, the president can designate another person with a period of two weeks to do so, and then yet another attempt can be made. A friend asked recently how anyone who supports the right-wing in Israel could advocate for anything other than two right-of-center parties headed by Naftali Bennett and Gideon Saar to join a government lead by the Likud party with Benjamin Netanyahu remaining as prime minister. Combined with the two ultra-Orthodox parties a... Corporate Connect has increased the companys share price target from A$2.25 to A$2.60 a share on the back of two recent licensing deals. The halt will remain in place until April 20 or when an announcement is released to the market. ( ) ( ) (FRA:NV9) is in a trading halt pending an announcement in regard to a potential in-licensing transaction. In its application to the ASX for the halt, Kazia stated the announcement was pending the conclusion of negotiations. The trading halt will remain in place until the beginning of regular trade on Tuesday, April 20, or when an announcement is released to the market, whichever occurs earliest. Increased price target Recently, the company secured an increased price target from A$2.25 to A$2.60 a share from Corporate Connect analyst Marc Sinatra on the back of two recent licensing deals. The company signed a licensing deal with China-based Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Limited (HKSE:2906) for paxalisib in Greater China and earlier in March with Oasmia Pharmaceutical AB (STO: OASM) (OTCMKTS:OASMY) for worldwide rights to Cantrixil. Deals rated A+ Sinatra has rated both these deals A+, stating: Licensing deals are the lifeblood of small pharmaceutical companies, representing their exit from the development of a molecule, often in a staged manner, and a coalescing of the value they have added to a compound. When an Australian pharmaceutical company does two licensing transactions within the space of a month, which is something we have never seen before, that company demands attention. Kazia shares last traded at A$1.53 before the halt and the companys market cap is approximately A$193.7 million. An employee works at Shopify's headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Photo : REUTERS/Chris Wattie/File Photo) Shopify Inc shares edged higher on Thursday, recovering partially from the previous day's fall, with analysts saying the news of planned senior executive departures may have limited impact due to the company's deep talent pool. Chief Executive Officer Tobi Lutke said in a blog post on Wednesday the company's chief talent officer, chief legal officer and chief technology officer will all leave their roles. Advertisement "We remain confident it (Shopify) can continue to execute at a high level, despite the departures," Tom Forte, analyst at D.A. Davidson & Co said, pointing to the company's "deep bench of talented executives." Shopify, which provides infrastructure for online stores, has seen its valuation soar in the past year as many businesses went virtual during the COVID-19 lockdowns, turning it into Canada's most valuable company. Shopify declined to comment further on Lutke's statement suggesting current company leaders would step in to fill the three roles. After chief product officer Craig Miller left in September, Lutke took on the role in addition to CEO. The Ottawa-based company is Canada's biggest homegrown tech success story, founded in 2006 and supporting over 1 million businesses globally, according to the company. Jonathan Kees, analyst at Summit Insights Group, called the timing of the departures "a little alarming" but said the specific roles make it less concerning, given that the executives leaving are "more back-office roles." Lutke said each one of them had their individual reasons to leave, without giving details. "I am willing to give Tobi's explanation the benefit of the doubt," Kees added. Toronto-listed shares of Shopify were up 3.5% at C$1526.41 on Thursday, giving it a market value of C$188 billion ($150 billion). It ended down 5.1% on Wednesday. "While we would refer to the departure of three high-level executives as 'significant,' we would not refer to it as a 'brain drain,'" Forte added. ($1 = 1.2541 Canadian dollars) CHICAGO, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Named the most active advisor in the seniors housing and care space for four consecutive years, Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors (Blueprint) today announced it is expanding its platform into medical office brokerage. The new offering also brings the addition of medical office veterans Eric Lee and Chris Lashmet to lead the practice. The strategic expansion is a culmination of Blueprint's vision to provide innovative advisory to the healthcare sector while also best serving its core senior living clients. The resilience of medical office was made clear in 2020, as rent collections across the sector outperformed other asset classes and the theory that MOB offers safe and reliable cashflows was further proven true. Coupled with cross-over opportunities for the firm's existing client base, the growth is an organic progression. "Our platform has proven itself, but we work hard to simultaneously maintain agility and we believe that's what sets us apart. MOB has always been a part of our long-term growth vision and the time, and talent, were right to launch," said Steve Thomes, Senior Managing Director & Head of Business Development. Lee and Lashmet bring a combined 10 years of healthcare real estate experience, primarily with one of the most sophisticated institutional investors in the world. That specialized expertise is a natural fit with Blueprint's solutions-based approach that combines broad market coverage and unrivaled analytics. With Lee and Lashmet at the helm, Blueprint's MOB practice takes an investor's approach with a comprehensive suite of services that includes investment sales, sale-leaseback structuring for physician groups, strategic real estate advisory for health systems and investors, joint venture structuring with developers, and capital raising for ground up development. "In my time at a publicly traded REIT, I worked with the Blueprint team on several dispositions and was quite impressed with their institutional-quality work and unique process, culture, and people. I knew the platform would complement our experience on the principal side and give the proper foundation for the type of brokerage we wanted to bring to the medical office space," said Eric Lee, Senior Director & Co-Head of Medical Office. Chris Lashmet, Senior Director & Co-Head of Medical Office added, "Having been through the transaction process numerous times on the investor side brings a vantage point not easily replicated. We're excited for the opportunity to bring creative solutions and optimal execution to our medical office colleagues." About Blueprint Blueprint's innovative approach to investment sales intersects broad market coverage and unrivaled analytics. This formula for optimal transaction execution has awarded us the leading healthcare real estate advisor with a proven track record of more than 400 transactions valued at $6.45 billion and comprehensive industry expertise in skilled nursing, seniors housing, and medical office. The company's website is www.BlueprintHCRE.com. Media Contact: Michelle Marzullo (312) 300-4185 [email protected] SOURCE Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors Related Links http://www.BlueprintHCRE.com Apple is investing in trees to protect forests around the world and improve its green credentials. The tech giant has launched a $200million (145million) drive to put money into well-managed and sustainable forests. The Restore Fund together with US-based group Conservation International and bank Goldman Sachs hopes to remove one million tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to the amount of fuel used by over 200,000 cars. The fund also aims to make a profit. Lisa Jackson of Apple said that protecting the environment and making money 'were not mutually exclusive'. She added: 'We're taught to believe that you can have profits or sustainability we're investing in the idea that you can have both.' Last year, The Daily Mail's Be a Tree Angel campaign raised 1.5million to plant orchards, trees and hedgerows across the UK. Apple is investing in trees to protect forests around the world and improve its green credentials Apple has been unpopular with environmentalists in recent years. In 2013, the company along with Samsung was accused of 'trashing tropical forests' in Indonesia. But now it has vowed to ensure all of the wood and paper products it uses are sustainable. Agustin Silvani, a forestry expert from Conservation International, said the fund would help to financially support forests with areas supporting natural habitats that would not otherwise be economically viable. The fund would help forests go beyond the legal minimum for protecting nature. In some areas of Brazil, for example, the law demands that 20 per cent of a forest area is set aside for nature, but this is not followed in many cases, Mr Silvani said. And the fund's financial support could allowing trees to grow for longer - absorbing more carbon - than they might otherwise do because of short-term economic pressures. 'There needs to be an economic reason to do that and as investors we are able to give that incentive to forest owners.' Apple said it intended to become carbon neutral across its entire value chain by 2030. While the company will directly eliminate 75 per cent of emissions for its supply chain and products by 2030, this Fund will help address the remaining 25 per cent of Apple's emissions by removing carbon from the atmosphere. Daniel Prude died last spring after police in Rochester, New York restrained him Newly released transcripts from the Daniel Prude case show that a grand jury voted 15-5 not to charge the three officers involved in his restraint of criminally negligent homicide. Prude, 41, was the black man who died last spring after police in Rochester, New York restrained him as he was walking naked in the roadway, placing a a spit-hood over his head and pinning him to the pavement. Prosecutors had sought the charges of the officers, which the grand jury didn't bring. The names of witnesses and jurors were blacked out of the transcripts, which were released Friday, weeks after State Attorney General Letitia James secured a judges approval to make the usually secret material public. 'This nation has a long and painful history of injustice, and every day, we are working to create a fairer and more equal system,' said James, a Democrat. 'Our efforts to balance the scales of justice and ensure accountability can only go so far in the absence of transparency.' 'We took the unprecedented action of seeking to release the grand jury transcripts because the public deserves to know what happened in these proceedings,' she continued. Grand jury transcripts in the case were released on Friday after State Attorney General Letitia James secured a judges approval to make the usually secret material public Prude was acting erratically after ingesting PCP on March 23, 2020 when Rochester police were called to respond by a family member. Officers put a spit-hood over his face after he began spitting on them while handcuffed, and held him face-down on the pavement for two minutes and fifteen seconds when he stopped breathing. Prude was taken off life support a week later. A medical examiner called it a homicide and cited PCP intoxication and 'excited delirium' as a factor. The case only gained widespread attention in early September, when body camera video was made public by Prude's family in the midst of national protests over the death of George Floyd. The release of the transcripts in the case of Prude comes at a sensitive time for the issue of race in policing. Testimony is ending in the trial of former Officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis in the killing of Floyd. Prude was acting erratically after ingesting PCP on March 23, 2020 when Rochester police were called to respond by a family member Officers put a spit-hood over Prude's face after he began spitting on them while handcuffed, and held him face-down on the pavement for two minutes and fifteen seconds And on Thursday, bodycam video was released that showed a Chicago police officer fatally shoot a 13-year-old last month less than a second after the boy appeared to drop a handgun, turn toward the officer and begin raising his hands. The Prude transcripts reveal that criminally negligent homicide was the only charge prosecutors from the state attorney generals office asked the grand jury to consider after nine days of testimony from witnesses including Prudes brother, other police officers and experts. The transcripts show one Prude juror praised the prosecution team for helping make sense of the case, telling them: 'You guys did amazing work. If it wasn't for everything that you presented to us, I don't think anybody would have come up with a decision.' 'You worked very hard and I'm sure nobody took it lightly. It was a very serious case. It's horrible what happened to him,' the juror said. At one point, prosecutor Michael Smith drew grand jurors' attention to a part of a 2015 Rochester Police Department training bulletin that explained that 'positional asphyxia may occur when the position of the persons body interferes with respiration, resulting in serious injury or death' and that the risk of such asphyxia 'can increase when the person is restrained in a prone position.' Protesters march in Rochester last month on the anniversary of Prude's arrest Prude's death sparked protests, including this one at Rochester's Public Safety Building on September 7, 2020 The images sparked nightly protests in Rochester, which has also been roiled by body cam footage of white officers using pepper spray on a 9-year-old Black girl who was handcuffed in the back of a squad car. An investigation into the official response that was released last month faulted the citys mayor and former police chief for keeping critical details of the case secret for months and lying to the public about what they knew. The grand jury reached its decision in February, sparking new rounds of protests in Rochester. In March, on the anniversary of Prude's death, a Black Lives Matter demonstration forced staff at a supermarket to lock its doors trapping customers locked inside for nearly an hour. The staff of Wegmans closed the doors, to prevent the protesters entering, leaving around 100 customers stuck inside. According to CBS affiliate WROC, the demonstrations started with a rally at 8am. The protesters blocked the departure of buses from a terminal, and then marched up to a branch of the Wegmans supermarket, where staff barricaded shoppers inside. Community Justice Initiative, Free the People Roc and supporters marched down East Avenue to the Wegmans in Rochester, on March 23, 2021 where they blocked people from entering The protesters blocked the departure of buses from a terminal, and then marched up to a branch of the Wegmans supermarket, where staff barricaded shoppers inside Protesters were blocked from entering a Wegmans store in Rochester on March 23 BREAKING: East Ave Wegmans shut down pic.twitter.com/dcWqxmutC4 Michael_Schwartz (@MSchwartzWHAM) March 23, 2021 Footage filmed by 13 WHAM showed the BLM crowd writing Prude's name in chalk outside the supermarket, while frustrated shoppers looked out. On of the protesters told Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that Wegmans was symbolic of some of the problems in the city. 'As we march, rally and protest you have to be able to stop commerce,' said Anthony Hall, a Rochester native who has worked with the city as a youth gang intervention specialist. He is also running for City Council. 'Wegmans is a large business in Monroe County,' Hall said. 'This is the only Wegmans in the city limits, but it's not accessible to the city residents. Hopefully, Danny Wegman talks with the Mayor and City Council because this affected him today. We want people to be inconvenienced because Daniel Prude's family has suffered a great loss.' Justin Morris, president of the Rochester Chapter of the Arc of Justice, a grassroots organization for social change, told the paper: 'Wegmans exemplifies what's wrong in our community.'. He continued: 'Wegmans started in the inner-city, in some of our most vulnerable communities, then they got their check and left. Onik Gasparyan, former chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia (RA), has issued a statement addressing the National Assembly (NA) speaker, the heads of the three NA factions, as well as the chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security, ArmLur.am reports. "More than five months have passed since the end of the war unleashed by the Azerbaijani-Turkish coalition against the Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] Republic on September 27, 2020. During all this time, many questions have accumulated among various segments of our society about the many events () that took place before the war, during it, as well as after the signing of the ceasefire. The [Armenian] public media is flooded with various information, assessments, disclosures, conspiracy theories. Information that has been partially declassified and made public by some state bodies () has been added to it in recent times. All this has become a real threat to our national security, undermines our public solidarity, demoralizes our armed forces and, as a result, makes our state vulnerable to further possible encroachments by the enemy. During all this time, the RA General Staff of the Armed Forces has shown maximum restraint in this matter, (). But the recently increasing speculations () make it necessary to legally regulate the process of state investigation of all circumstances related to the past war (). Therefore, I petition to you to immediately initiate, within the framework of the powers vested in you by Article 108, Clause 4 of the RA Constitution, the establishment of an NA inquiry committee in the circumstances of the 44-day war in 2020. (). I express my readiness to provide maximum assistance to the work of the future committee of inquiry," Gasparyans statement reads in particular. BOGOTA, Colombia For the past two years, Liliana Guzman has felt like a shadow. Liliana, 34, is one of 5.6 million people who have fled deepening economic and political crises in Venezuela in recent years. Migrants like Liliana go to receiving countries Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil with little more than the clothes on their backs, often unable to obtain basic documents or resources to go through legal migratory processes. She arrived in Bogota two years ago "irregularly" with her two children 4 and 14 and has spent those years barely scraping by. Venezuelan migrant Liliana Guzman arrived in Bogota, Colombia, two years ago with her two children. Unable to get a valid passport because of the crisis in her country, they crossed the Colombia-Venezuela border using a temporary border crossing card, which would allow them to access basic food and medical services and return to Venezuela. But Liliana never looked back. Despite once working as the director of nursing in a hospital in Venezuela, Guzman now sells coffee and sweets on the street, earning around $10 a day for 15 hours of work. I try not to go out a lot other than to work, Liliana said. I go walking and some police ask me for my ID, but I only have the ID that gives me permission to cross the border. So they ask me Where did you enter? Did you know that being in this country irregularly is a crime? The terror is always there. She felt a glimmer of hope in February when Colombian President Ivan Duque announced Colombia would provide legal protections to nearly 2 million Venezuelan migrants. Duque said in a USA TODAY Editorial Board meeting that the policy put his country on the right side of history. We have seen many times that the way that some governments have approached migration is with xenophobia or even negating that the problem exists, Duque said. We have to demonstrate to the world that you don't have to be a rich country to do the right thing. But taking a humanistic approach to migration is not an easy task in a country struggling to end decades of internal conflict and acutely struck by the economic consequences of a global pandemic. Story continues Duques move offers a rare glimpse into what it takes navigating logistical labyrinths, the political fallouts and the potential payoffs to make such a move at a time when the United States once again grapples with its own immigration reforms. Other countries are looking at Colombia and saying Well, this is an experiment on receiving immigrants. And if it ends up succeeding, shouldn't we be doing the same? said Sergio Guzman, director of Colombia Risk Analysis in Bogota. But for both countries, the road is paved with challenges. One of the biggest - and least funded - migrant crises The exodus from Venezuela has become one of the worst displacement crises in the world, according to the United Nations, and neighboring Colombia has accepted more Venezuelan migrants than any other country. Hyperinflation, corruption and heavy dependence on oil generated an economic crisis in Venezuela earlier in the decade. As that problem deepened, it made way for compounding crises: food, medical supply and petroleum shortages, collapsing medical systems and waves of blackouts. Meanwhile, the government of President Nicolas Maduro has violently stamped out political opposition. Yet the mass migration is one of the most underfunded in recent history. Venezuelan migrants receive a small fraction of international aid dollars compared to those fleeing Syria, despite comparable migration numbers, according to data from Brookings Institution. While other nations like Ecuador and Peru have largely shut their doors to Venezuelans, Colombia has opened up work permits and other channels for migrants since the onset of the mass migration around 2015. Around 2 million people have landed in Colombia, now making up about 4% of the South American countrys population. Many arrive informally, unable to obtain basic documentation like passports due to their countrys crisis. Receiving countries have struggled to keep their heads above water, and things like public hospitals on the Colombia-Venezuela border have been overwhelmed trying to treat both Colombian and Venezuelan patients. Liliana Guzman said living in the country without papers has taken a significant toll on her familys health and that they can only access medical resources if there is an emergency. If I get sick and go to a hospital, the only way I'll get in is if I'm dying because if not, they don't treat you, she said. A promise of protection The latest protections intend to give migrants like Liliana access to medical services, education and the ability to open bank accounts. It applies to undocumented Venezuelans living in Colombia before Jan. 31, 2021 approximately a million people plus nearly a million more who are already legalized won't have to periodically reapply for temporary work permits and visas. But as Colombia faces its own economic crisis and unemployment, it struggles to serve more than 7 million Colombians who have been displaced by internal conflict, and public institutions already at capacity could be even more overwhelmed. The biggest challenge is going to be providing basic goods and services, said Guzman of Colombia Risk Analysis. Not only to the Venezuelan immigrant population but also to local Colombians. As a result, analysts and migrant leaders have cast doubts on the governments capacity to actually follow through on its promises. Colombias government has come under international criticism for their failures to follow through on key promises before, namely a 2016 peace pact with guerrillas once widely acclaimed, its now crumbling. Gimena Sanchez of Washington, D.C.-based think tank Washington Office on Latin America said the situation is out of their hands. The reality is that they can't get rid of all these people even if they wanted to, Sanchez said. They have no way of doing that. So what they're trying to do is manage it in a way that I think makes them look like they're capable of doing a lot more than they really can. Venezuelans cross the Arauca river from La Victoria, Apure state, Venezuela to Arauquita municipality, Arauca department, Colombia, on March 26, 2021. For years, Duque and other regional leaders have asked for greater international aid funds to allow them to take on the exodus, but donations have continuously fallen short. Duque acknowledged that his country may not have the economic capacity to achieve the temporary protection status program on its own, but told USA TODAY that the program will allow the country to have a better handle on the situation and prevent exploitative working conditions. Theyre already here, he said. Obviously, we need to have support from the international community. Thats no discussion. Dayana Camacho Favara, president of migrant aid group Venezuela Without Barriers or Borders said she also worries about the governments ability to reach the most vulnerable. Venezuelans who had to cross irregularly through dangerous informal border paths because they were unable to get a passport may struggle to prove that they were in the country before the date of the program, she said. Many others live in extreme poverty and lack access to basic information on the program or digital tools allowing them to register online. Others fear registering with authorities. Aid organizations like Camacho's have worked to fill in those gaps and dispel fears, but she said they can only go so far without government outreach. It's an important job of ours to make sure people feel safe, to show that this is an opportunity for them and that they're able to regularize their statuses without the fear that they'll be deported or imprisoned, Camacho said. US political 'wedge' doesn't make for political willpower As President Joe Biden attempts to push through immigration reform and undo former President Donald Trump-era mandates, the new administration faces its own set of challenges. While the U.S. has more resources, the topic has become a lightning rod of deep polarization in the country, said Sanchez. In his first weeks in office, Biden signed executive orders on immigration, including one order creating a task force geared toward reunifying separated families and another discontinuing the remain in Mexico policy, which required asylum seekers to wait for court dates in often violent zones in Mexico. SUBSCRIBE: Help support quality journalism like this. But the U.S. has also seen a surge of arrivals of unaccompanied minors to its southern border as they flee deteriorating conditions and environmental disaster in their own countries. The number of migrant encounters at the United States' southern border increased 71% since February. As a result, the administration has employed policies not dissimilar to Trump policies they once criticized, including overcrowding Customs and Border facilities and expelling some migrants arriving at the border. The Biden administration has also kept the U.S.-Mexico border sealed, continuing a Trump pandemic policy. Many policies from the previous administration could take months or years to unravel, said Jessica Bolter, an analyst with the Washington, D.C.-based Migration Policy Institute. Immigration has been a wedge issue in the United States, Bolter said. Following the Trump administration, this is still in the atmosphere. I think its become very difficult politically to get anything major done on immigration. The ripple effects seem to have marred Bidens popularity ratings. While a new Quinnipiac poll reported 64% of adults approve of Biden's COVID-19 policies, only 24% approve of Bidens handling of children reaching the southern U.S. border without their parents. It's not just about policy, it's about culture Despite a wave of international praise for Colombias decision, Duque, too, has received criticisms domestically, though much of that criticism can also be rooted back to rising levels of xenophobia and tensions spurred on by the economic crisis. According to a January Gallup poll, 68% of Colombians look unfavorably on Venezuelans in the country. Venezuelans rest at a shelter set up in a community center in Arauquita, Colombia, Friday, March 26, 2021, on the border with Venezuela. The problem in both countries, said Sanchez, is that such steps dont just mean changing a law. On a topic as volatile as migration, they often mean changing an entire culture. U.S. migration policy has always been geared toward excluding unwanted migrants from the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act, and laws like it, until now, Sanchez said. In Colombia, too, it has been what she called a shift of the country's identity. The country has never been a receiver of migrants. Rather, decades of armed group violence pushed many Colombians to flee, hundreds of thousands of whom fled to once oil-rich Venezuela. Now with the roles reversed, the country has had to adjust to being a receiver country. 'Something better' If Colombia is able to pull it off, the legalization program could have significant economic payoffs. Despite labor tensions, Venezuelans have played a crucial role in Colombias workforce, working as harvesters in Colombian coffee farms and providing food delivery services through apps during the countrys stretching coronavirus quarantines last year. Due in part to socialized education in their country, most Venezuelan migrants come highly educated, and a 2019 report by the International Monetary Fund projected that Venezuelan migration and policies that boost integration could raise gross domestic product growth in neighboring countries long-term. For migrants like Liliana and her two children, it could be life-changing. As she looks to the future, she says she hopes to stop working on the streets, get her degree certified in Colombia and begin to work as a nurse once again. After years in the shadows, she sees a better life ahead. This status it's what I've hoped for because being here irregularly in this country, it's like I don't know who I am, she said. I left my country for something better ... Life is a process and when you go through the worst, I think God will pay them back down the line. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colombia opens to Venezuelan migrants as Biden slips on immigration FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 file photo, Alessandro Michele acknowledges the applause of the audience at the end of Gucci's Fall/Winter 2020/2021 collection, presented in Milan, Italy. Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele is celebrating the fashion houses 100-year anniversary, giving historic sweep to a collection unveiled virtually Thursday that embraced its equestrian heritage, borrowed references from the Tom Ford-era and outright stole from a sister brand Balenciaga. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File) Today Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 53F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 53F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Tomorrow Sunny skies. High 79F. N winds shifting to E at 10 to 15 mph. A woman receives a dose of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at vaccination center in Chinatown, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., April 6, 2021. (Reuters/Carlos Barria) J&J Scientists Refute Idea That COVID-19 Vaccines Design Linked to Clots CHICAGOScientists at Johnson & Johnson on Friday refuted an assertion in a major medical journal that the design of their COVID-19 vaccine, which is similar AstraZenecas, may explain why both have been linked to very rare brain blood clots in some vaccine recipients. The United States earlier this week paused distribution of the J&J vaccine to investigate six cases of a rare brain blood clot known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), accompanied by a low blood platelet count, in U.S. women under age 50, out of about 7 million people who got the shot. The blood clots in patients who received the J&J vaccine bear close resemblance to 169 cases in Europe reported with the AstraZeneca vaccine, out of 34 million doses administered there. Both vaccines are based on a new technology that uses a modified version of adenoviruses, which cause the common cold, as vectors to ferry instructions to human cells. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is scrutinizing this design behind both vaccines to see if it is contributing to the risk. In a letter on Friday in the New England Journal of Medicine, J&J scientists refuted a case report published earlier this week by Kate Lynn-Muir and colleagues at the University of Nebraska, who asserted that the rare blood clots could be related to adenoviral vector vaccines. In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert and an adviser to the White House, said the fact that they are both adenovirus vector vaccines is a pretty obvious clue that the cases could be linked to the vector. Whether that is the reason, I cant say for sure, but it certainly is something that raises suspicion, Fauci said. In the correspondence on Friday, Macaya Douoguih, a scientist with J&Js Janssen vaccines division, and colleagues pointed out that the vectors used in its vaccine and the AstraZeneca shot are substantially different and that those differences could lead to quite different biological effects. Specifically, they noted that the J&J vaccine uses a human adenovirus while the AstraZeneca vaccine uses a chimpanzee adenovirus. The vectors are also from different virologic families or species, and use different cell receptors to enter cells. The J&J shot also includes mutations to stabilize the so-called spike protein portion of the coronavirus that the vaccine uses to produce an immune response, while the AstraZeneca vaccine does not. The vectors are very different, said Dr. Dan Barouch of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Harvards Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center in Boston, who helped design the J&J vaccine. The implications of issues with one vector for the other one are not clear at this point, he said in an interview earlier this week. The J&J scientists said in the letter there was not enough evidence to say their vaccine caused the blood clots and they continue to work with health authorities to assess the data. A panel of advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are expected to meet on April 23 to determine whether the pause on use of the J&J vaccine can be lifted. By Julie Steenhuysen (JNS) The head of Public Health at Israels Health Ministry said on Tuesday that the COVID-19 virus was dying out in the country, albeit slowly. Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, the head of Public Health at Israels Health Ministry, said on Tuesday that the coronavirus in the country is dying out at a slower pace. We currently have a little over 300 daily COVID cases. This is a very significant decline. Most of the localities in Israel have low morbidity. Meanwhile, there are almost no significant virus concentrations and no hotspots at all, said Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, acc... Irish Water is working with Kildare County Council to restore water supply in parts of Kildare following an interruption to supply caused by an issue at Old Kilcullen reservoir. Update from Irish Water: Crews worked to resolve the issue as quickly and as safely as possible in line with COVID-19 protocols. The issue at the reservoir has been resolved, however it may take a number of hours for normal supply to return to all customers. Homes and businesses in the following areas may be impacted by water discolouration while normal water supply is returning as the reservoir is replenishing and the network is re-filling; Kildare Town and surrounds; Carbury; Derrinturn; Naas; Athgarvan; Newbridge; Parts of Caragh; Kilmeague; Monasterevin; Calverstown; Nurney; Narraghmore; Ballitore; Prosperous and surrounding areas. In Ireland, drinking water can pass through several kilometres of pipework before it reaches homes and businesses. Some of this pipework is constructed from cast iron and, depending on the area, can be up to 100 years old. Old cast iron mains typically suffer from corrosion and as a result, sediment from these pipes can be dislodged during repair or maintenance works, causing temporary discolouration of the water / the water to appear brown before it reaches customers' taps. This is not harmful to health and usually running the tap for a number of minutes will restore the clear colour. More information can be found at https://www.water.ie/wat.../supply-issues/discoloured-water/ London, England--(Newsfile Corp. - April 16, 2021) - Net Savings Link, Inc. (OTC Pink: NSAV), a cryptocurrency, blockchain and digital asset technology company, today announced that it has acquired a strategic stake in UK-based Cryptocurrency Trading Platform, VirtuaBroker Ltd. https://virtuabroker.com, whose platform is based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and offers a full range of trading services, such as portfolio management, price search function, and much more. VirtuaBroker's platform supports nearly all the major cryptocurrency exchanges, including Coinbase, whose IPO on Wednesday valued Coinbase at over $85 billion. With the recent announcements of Tesla and Mastercard joining the Crypto revolution, the management of NSAV believes that this will be a major step in fulfilling the Company's ambition of being a leading player in the over $200 billion annual cryptocurrency market. Under the terms of the agreement, NSAV has acquired a 10% shareholding in VirtuaBroker and has an exclusive option to acquire an additional 20% stake. In addition, NSAV has been granted pre-emptive rights, which gives it the potential to increase its shareholding in VirtuaBroker even further. VirtuaBroker's AI Cryptocurrency Trading Platform is a 24/7 account manager. Customers will save time and be provided with an optimal trading experience. The AI Platform allows users to optimize the trades that they require according to their selected objectives and allows them to make decisions based on market sentiment data. VirtuaBroker's security policy is its pillar and is based on a five-tiered security stack, including Fraud Protection, Privacy Protection, Encryption and Network Defenses, VirtuaBroker Security ID and Security Alerts. SBC Financial Group https://www.sbcfinancialgroup.com.hk negotiated and structured the transaction. SBC Financial Group has a dynamic of disciplines on a broad commercial level and practice. SBC has a strong group of Partners in a wide range of disciplines with seasoned experience in finance, management, and professional practice. Dani Garcia, founder and CTO of VirtuaBroker stated, "Traders know that it takes multiple exchanges to truly trade crypto and what sets our platform apart is the ability to organize all exchanges in one platform. The team at VirtuaBroker would like to thank its strategic shareholder, NSAV for its support in making our launch a reality. We look forward to opening the platform to all on May 30th and thank our beta testers for their ongoing commitment to provide feedback to improve a truly groundbreaking product. We would like to thank Silverbear Capital for advising us on this and potential future transactions to come. Silverbear Capital is truly a committed and professional team." James Tilton, president of NSAV stated, "We are thrilled to be able to announce the acquisition of a strategic stake in VirtuaBroker, along with the options to acquire an even more significant stake. With its Artificial Intelligence based platform, we believe that VirtuaBroker is a force to be reckoned with in the Cryptocurrency arena. I can assure all our loyal NSAV shareholders that we are already working on other projects in the cryptocurrency and digital asset sector. I also would like to echo Dani's thanks and appreciation to the amazing team at Silverbear Capital." NSAV's vision is the establishment of a fully integrated technology company that provides turnkey technological solutions to the cryptocurrency, blockchain and digital asset industries. Over time, the Company plans to provide a wide range of services such as software solutions, e-commerce, advisory services, financial services and information technology. For further information please contact NSAV at info@nsavholdinginc.com The NSAV Twitter account can be accessed at https://twitter.com/nsavtech This press release contains certain 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, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Net Savings Link, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Net Savings Link, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward- looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Net Savings Link, Inc. or any other person. Contact Net Savings Link, Inc. info@nsavholdinginc.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/80691 FLINT, MI -- Flint youth and community supporters gathered Thursday, April 15, to speak out against violence across the nation. Days after another Black man was shot by police just miles from where Goerge Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, a small group of youths and community members gathered at the Church Without Walls on Flints North Side. Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was unarmed and fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop Sunday, April 11, in suburban Minneapolis. The shooting happened as the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin over Floyds death continued. As a young Black man, Kameron Motley, 17, of Flint, said he is constantly in fear. Recently I had the experience of being followed home by someone early in the morning, Motley said. I was followed home after dropping my sister off at the bus stop and he tells me I look funny. In that moment I was scared for my life. Heavens Gurrola, 14, of Flint said she is afraid for her 8-year-old brothers life. He is autistic and biracial. When Gurrolas brother doesnt understand something, he will laugh, she said. It is a contagious, beautiful fit of laughter right now, Gurrola said. But will the police think that same thing when hes older? Or will they look at the color of his skin and look at his curly hair and assume that he is a threat? Black Americans with disabilities who are suffering a mental health crisis have a history of dying at the hands of police, Gurrola said, listing names like Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Tanisha Anderson, Deborah Danner, Ezell Ford, Alfred Olango and Keith Lamont Scott. Judge, jury, executioner, none of these words define the meaning of police officer, none of these words describe an officers duty, Gurrola said. Im a kid and I can see there needs to be a change made. Im a kid and the only thing I have to fight with is my voice, so please hear me. Flint community organizer Kenyetta Dotson was approached by the youths who wanted to organize an event where they could speak out and call for a better future. We did not see our leaders come on TV to bring us comfort, Dotson said. Dotson said it is important to recognize the killing of Black people in the United States is a systematic issue. People cannot act like its normal. This is not a Minnesota problem, its not a Flint problem, its not a Baltimore problem -- this is not a city problem alone, Dotson said. This is an all of us problem. This is an America problem. We have to address this together as a nation, as a people, as a city, as a family. Read more on MLive: I have to tell my grandchildren about their father in the past tense: Mother calls for end to gun violence in Flint Flint grapples with pandemic-fueled surge in homicides, crime Kalamazoo activists, officials gather to denounce fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright Daunte Wright shooting: More clashes in Minnesota after police shoot, kill Black man Man who exchanged gunfire with Flint police charged with 18 felonies Phones lit up and the emails arrived into the Kilkenny People last week as readers recognised one of their own when Dr Martin Tobin took the stand to give evidence in the most talked-about US trial of the decade. The doctor hails from North Kilkenny, and as a youth attended Freshford national school and then later St Kierans College. He would go on to University College Dublin and Trinity College. From there, he went on to practice in Miami, Texas, and Pittsburgh. He is now one of the top doctors at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Last week, he was the centre of attention and as such a highly-regarded expert, his testimony may well have bearing on the trials outcome. He is now a world expert on pulmonology, and as noted during the trial his work was described by medical journal Lancet as the Bible of the field of mechanical ventilation. Dr Tobin was raised in Freshford, living with his two aunts, the Brennan sisters, who owned a drapery shop. The sisters were well known in Kilkenny, and the name is still visible on the old premises. Dr Martin Tobin in Kilkenny as a youngster (centre, with cake) will be celebrating his birthday later this month Academically gifted, he was a well-liked boy growing up. According to local councillor Michael McCarthy who knew him growing up, he has been a regular visitor back and forth to Freshford, often during the summer months. A number of friends from the St Kierans class still keep in touch and have a Zoom group. It is amazing the number of people whove contacted me to ask about him, the community is very interested, Cllr McCarthy told the Kilkenny People. READ MORE: KILKENNY DOCTOR CAPTIVATED GLOBAL AUDIENCE WITH TESTIMONY Relatives who still live in Kilkenny describe him as humble and a gentleman. Others who know him say he was always academic, as well as very down to earth and laid back. Apparently, the good doctor tends not to carry a mobile phone. He hasnt changed a bit since he left Freshford, one relative confirmed. He is very knowledgeable and an expert but he never lost his roots. Dr Tobin still keeps in touch with his siblings, Paddy Tobin, Teresa Byrne and Mary Morrissey who all live in Kilkenny in different parts of the county. Another brother, the well-known Fr Eamon Tobin, passed away earlier this year. Dr Martin Tobin married a Ms Boland from New Ross and together they have three children living in the US. He will celebrate his 70th birthday later this month on April 23, but has shown no signs of slowing down or retiring. TELEVISED COURTROOM Its still somewhat alien to us here, but cameras in courtrooms took off Stateside in the 1990s, with Court TV bringing the likes of the high-profile OJ Simpson trial to the American public. Popularity waned in recent years, but it is undergoing a revival. Televised proceedings and the high profile nature of the case have resulted in the Derek Chauvin murder trial pulling in a major audience. Millions of people from the US and around the world have been tuning in on Court TV or livestreaming through a digital device. Several cable channels broadcast much of the trial live. SAN FRANCISCOHot on the heels of the release of the debut scene from NakedSword Originals' new miniseries Skin Deep, the company has now released the full bareback DVD, its fourth DVD release of 2021. Acclaimed director Edward James features seven horny studs taking full advantage of the sensual world of sexual massage therapy, NakedSword style. Skin Deep stars Dalton Riley, Masyn Thorne, Daniel Dean, Kyle Connors, Jax Thirio, Adonis Couverture, Jackson Cooper and new face Johnny Rapid. Tim Valenti, president of Falcon/NakedSword, stated, "Edward James delivers again with Skin Deep. It's not your typical massage movie but way more entertaining. Skin Deep is a great addition to our impressive DVD line-up so far this year. We have some big budget features planned for later in the year so stay tuned." Skin Deep is now available at wholesale and retail as well as digital download via store.falconstudios.com. For DVD retail and wholesale purchasing, contact John Gunderson at [email protected]. A mega suburb planned for the Gold Coast will house up to 10,000 residents as the city faces a crisis in rentals and new housing. Skyridge in the suburb of Worongary will cost $1.5 billion to develop over the next 10 years on one of the last major land releases in the Gold Coast suburbs. The land was once owned by a grumpy WWII hermit renowned for chasing trespassers with an axe. The development by Western Australia's Perron Group in partnership with Gold Coast investor Ross Atkins will see 3,500 houses built in a master-planned suburb that will include a village retail centre, an education precinct, parklands and public art space. About 75 hectares of the 342-hectare site will be dedicated to open space, parklands and an 'ecological corridor' which runs through the middle of the development. The 342-hectare Skyridge development will house up to 10,000 people once completed Skyridge will be built 14km from Surfer's Paradise and 75km south of Brisbane, Queensland Migration to Queensland from southern states has created a rental crisis on the Gold Coast, with Real Estate Institute of Queensland reporting a record low vacancy rate of less than one per cent in many suburbs. About 14,000 people moved to Queensland from other Australian states in the second half of 2020. Matt Schneider from the Property Council of Australia recently told the ABC that the Gold Coast needed 6,500 new homes each year. The planned suburb will be built on one of the last major land releases on the Gold Coast Land preparation works have only just begun, with first land sales in mid-2021 Glenn Tozer, local councillor for the area in which Skyridge will be constructed, told Daily Mail Australia the massive development will help alleviate some of the demand for new housing on the Gold Coast. 'The quality of life on the Gold Coast is epic, how good is it?' Mr Tozer said. 'People from Sydney and Melbourne are coming up here going, what the hell? Its 10 minutes to Broadbeach and 10 minutes to World Heritage-listed rainforest. Robert 'Spiny Bob' Anthes lived as a hermit on the land for more than 50 years The Gold Coast is experiencing high demand for new houses as southerners flock to the city 'Were a growing city and that will attract people so we need to make sure we have places to live. I have mixed feelings about population growth but theres no doubt in my mind [this development] will provide some great places to live.' The first three approved stages will see about 160 houses built over 33 hectares of the 342-hectare project. House plot sizes will range from 240 sq m up to 900 sq m, with the average lot size approximately 450sqm. On current market values, the variety of houses in the development will potentially be worth between $300,000 and more than $1 million. The first land sales will begin in mid-2021. More than 2000 registrations of interest had been received to date, including 1000 in the first 24 hours after the project was announced. Mr Tozer says the development has a number of unique features, including dual carriageway streets throughout, each with dedicated bike and pedestrian paths. 'There is also no one home site that is more than 400 metres from a park,' he said. 'Thats pretty cool. As a dad of three boys, I like the idea of being able to walk to a park.' The undeveloped land sits to the west of the Pacific Motorway next to Worongary The sprawling property adjacent to the Pacific Motorway on which the massive suburb will eventually sit was once owned by a famously grumpy Gold Coast hermit, Robert 'Spiney Bob' Anthes, a WWII veteran who had inherited the land from his father, Jack. Anthes was known locally for chasing off anyone who approached his property with either a gun or an axe. He lived on his land in a number of ramshackle sheds when he returned from the war in the late 1940s until his death in 2004. A fight broke out among the heirs of Mr Anthes over plans for the land in 2017 and ended up in the Supreme Court in Brisbane. Councillor Glenn Tozer: Skyridge will help alleviate some of the city's high demand for housing 'The State Government flagged this site for future urban development for 20 years,' said Councillor Tozer. 'Mr Anthe was a bit resistant to his farm being used for this purpose but his estate is now an investor in the project.' Mr Tozer also revealed that the man who founded the development company, WA billionaire Stan Perron, reconfigured his estate before he died in 2018 to ensure that proceeds from Skyridge are directed to the Perron Charitable Foundation for philanthropic works. 'What developer does that?' he said. 'So when tradespeople work for this development - whether they build a house or buy land - the proceeds are going to things such as cancer research.' Now that our 20-year war in Afghanistan is grinding to an unsatisfying end, its time to ask the question: Was it ever winnable? The answer: Probably not, in part because, over the years, victory was defined either not at all or in terms implausibly grandiose. At the very beginning, there was a chance of a decent way out for the U.S. Initially, as President Joe Biden noted earlier this week, the war was launched to overthrow the Taliban government, which had harbored al-Qaida, and to crush al-Qaida as well, killing or capturing its leader, Osama bin Laden. Advertisement The first partthe ouster of the Taliban from Kabulwent more quickly than expected, thanks to an audacious CIA-led war plan combining U.S. special forces, high-tech drones, and Afghan rebels on horseback. The second part went badly. Incompetent U.S. commanders let bin Laden escape to Pakistan. President George W. Bush, thinking the war was over, abandoned the terrain and moved on to Iraq. The Taliban came back fighting. And the new central government, which Bush and others had installed in Kabul, was unsuited to govern the warlord rulers in the countryside, much less stave off the Islamists insurgency. 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 U.S. commander left holding the bag, an enterprising three-star general named David Barno, fashioned what might have been a successful plan: using the few American troops remaining to train an Afghan army and recruiting American corporate executives to train the new Afghan ministers and bureaucrats in how to run a government. Advertisement This was an appropriately small-scale version of a counterinsurgency strategydesigned as much to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people as to defeat the enemy on the battlefieldand it started to work a little bit. But Washington was obsessed with the new war in Iraq; nobody cared about Afghanistan; Barno was sent home to a petty office job, and his successor reverted to strictly military actions against the Taliban. (Barnos experiment, along with much else in this column, is reported with more detail in my 2013 book, The Insurgents.) After a while, Afghanistan started to attract a bit of renewed attention (official Washington was stunned that the Taliban were back, when in fact theyd never left), but the response was simply to send more troops, drop more bombs, and raid more homes. Advertisement This didnt work. The new president, Barack Obama, was looking for a solution. (He had campaigned on the idea that Iraq was the bad war, Afghanistan the good war.) By this time, Gen. David Petraeus had become a household name by bringing the warring militias in Iraq under control, in part through a counterinsurgency strategy that was much larger and more ambitious than the one Barno had briefly tried in Afghanistan. And so, after much deliberation, Obama decided to apply the strategy in Afghanistanand to send 30,000 more troops to help make it work. Eventually, Petraeus himself was sent to command the troops. Hed worked miracles in Iraq; the hope was he could do so in Afghanistan as well. Advertisement Advertisement There were three fallacies to this hope. First, as Petraeus himself said at the time, his victory in Iraq was tactical, buying enough time for the countrys political factions to get their act togetherwhich never happened. Second (a fact kept secret until several years later), the victory of sorts was enabled by hackers, analysts, and linguists from the National Security Agency, who captured militia leaders computers, swiped their passwords, and sent phony messages to their fighters, telling them to meet at a certain placewhere, at the arranged hour, U.S. drone-fired missiles killed them. In the pivotal year of 2007, more than 7,000 insurgents were killed in this manner. Afghanistan was a very different country. Among many other differences, its insurgents didnt have computers. Another big difference: When the Afghan insurgents faced a tough battle, they could retreat to safe haven just across the border in Pakistan, which provided them with military assistance and whichto complicate matters furtherreceived much military assistance from Washington. Hall of mirrors doesnt begin to describe the craziness. Advertisement There was a bigger problem still: The government in Kabul, led by Hamid Karzai, was corrupt. In part, Karzai had to be corrupt to keep in lineby bribingthe warlords running the countrys disparate provinces. The basic premise of counterinsurgency, or COINto win the allegiance of the local people, so they would support the government and help defeat the insurgentsrequired a government worthy of support. Karzai and his successors never crossed that threshold. Advertisement Back in September 2009, just before Obama adopted the COIN strategy, Adm. Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked at a Senate hearing why the Taliban were doing so well, despite the U.S. militarys vastly larger force. The problem, Mullen said, is clearly the lack of legitimacy of the [Afghan] government. Sen. Lindsey Graham asked, We could send a million troops, and that wouldnt restore legitimacy in the government? Mullen replied, That is correct. Advertisement Around the same time, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who preceded Petraeus as U.S. commander in Afghanistan, wrote in a secret 66-page memo that a responsible and accountable government, found acceptable by the Afghan people, was just as important as a secure environment. However, McChrystal noted, widespread corruption by various officials has given little reason to support the government, a condition that was sowing fertile ground for the insurgency. Maj. Gen. Michael Flynn, then the senior U.S. military intelligence officer in Afghanistan (who later became President Donald Trumps indicted national security adviser), made the same point in a New York Times interview: If we are going to conduct a [COIN] strategy in Afghanistan, and we are perceived as backing thugs, then we are just undermining ourselves. Advertisement Advertisement McChrystal and Petraeus were supposed to fix all that. They couldnt; they didnt. Their prognosis had validity: A strictly military campaign against the Taliban wouldnt work if the Afghan people didnt support their government. But the government remained corrupt, and the support never came. In some ways, the hugely expanded COIN programMcChrystal, then Petraeus, brought in not just a handful of corporate executives, but vast bureaucracies from the Pentagon and USAIDmade things worse. With so much American cash sloshing about, the networks of bribery intensified, the scale of payoffs exploded, the corruption burrowed itself ever deeper into the central government and the warlord-led provinces. The Taliban had a field day. The whole enterprise of bringing COIN to Afghanistan was a pipe dream all along, and the dreamers should have known it. Petraeus and the others had drawn much of their thinking from a 1964 book called Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice, by a retired French colonial officer named David Galula. In one chapter, Galula itemized the prerequisites for a successful insurgency. They included a weak government, a neighboring country that offered safe haven, and a predominantly rural, illiterate populationall of them applied to Afghanistan. Galula went further: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ideal situation for the insurgent would be a large land-locked country, shaped like a blunt-tipped star, with jungle-covered mountains along the borders and scattered swamps in the plains, in a temperate zone with a large and dispersed rural population, and a primitive economy. Except for the jungles (but very much including the mountains), thats Afghanistan in a nutshell. There is no evidence that Joe Biden ever read Galula, but he reached the same conclusions early on as Obamas vice president. In a series of 10 National Security Council meetings in 2009, when Obama and his top aides discussed Afghan strategy, Biden was the only one at the table who said that COIN wouldnt workthat it had nothing to do with why we went into Afghanistanand who proposed sending just 10,000 more troops and scaling down their ambitions to simply training the Afghan army and fighting terrorists on the Afghan-Pakistan border. Advertisement Obama approved his officers COIN strategy, but with conditions. At a meeting in the Oval Office in December, where he made his decision, he asked his top officialsGates, Petraeus, and otherswhether, with the help of the extra troops and the new strategy, the Afghan army would gain control of at least half of the countrys provinces within 18 months. Tell me the truth, Obama went on. Dont think that, if 18 months go by and the Afghans havent reached this goal, Im going to give you more troops. This is all youre going to get. So, if you dont think this is possible, tell me, and well go with Bidens plan. Advertisement Advertisement All the advisers said the goal could be reached by the deadline, though at least some of them knew it couldnt be. And indeed it wasnt. So, 18 months later, almost to the day, Obama announced he was withdrawing the 30,000 surge troops and reverting to Bidens strategy. (The officials were stunned; they hadnt taken his warning seriously.) Shortly before leaving office, Obama decided to keep 5,800 troops in Afghanistan, but for just two purposes: to train the local army and to fight terrorists on the Pakistan border. When Donald Trump entered the White House, he was determined to pull out all the troops. But Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and national security adviser H.R. McMaster persuaded him to send in a few more troops, laying out a new plan that would produce victoryeven though it wasnt at all new and never defined victory. Trump went along, to his subsequent regret. Advertisement In his final year, Trump sent Zalmay Khalilzad, a veteran diplomat who was born in Afghanistan, to negotiate a treaty with the Taliban (though not with the Kabul government, which wanted no part of it). The Taliban pledged to stop fighting and to cut off all relations with al-Qaida; in return, the U.S. pledged to withdraw all its troops by May 1, 2021. Advertisement Though Trump didnt mean it to be, the treaty, as defense analyst Kori Schake has observed, was a gift to his successor. As vice president, Biden opposed prolonging the war; hed warned Obama not to let the generals box him in. Now, as president, he went with his own instinctsthe instincts that had proved to be correct the last time aroundand Trumps treaty gave him a way out. U.S. troops havent seen much fighting in Afghanistan for a long time; not a single service member has been killed there for more than a year. But the Taliban had warned that if U.S. troops were still there after May 1, combat would resume, the war would escalate, American casualties would start piling up again. That was the last thing Biden wanted, so he announced that the forever warat least our piece of itwas over. There was one complication: It would be logistically impossible to remove all 3,500 U.S. troopsmuch less the several thousand NATO troops, who will follow us to the exitin so short a time. So Biden said he would start pulling them out on May 1 and have them all out by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the event that brought on the war to begin with. Will the Taliban let him revise the deadline without a fight? Well see. It is not a pretty ending to a long-fruitless war. With the Western troops gone, the Taliban will almost certainly take over Kabul, if not by sheer force, then by a power-sharing arrangement that they will very soon dominate. They will likely crush all the social freedoms that have been won, especially those for girls and women. And the U.S. will lose a secure base for intelligence and counterterrorist operations. Yes, some of these operations could be done from a distance, but it will be a long distance (no country bordering Afghanistan will let us set up shop) of diminished effectiveness. Some cliches are true, and the description of Afghanistan as a graveyard of empires is one of themfirst for Britain, then for the Soviet Union, and now, one hopes much less profoundly, for the U.S. This was predictable, not quite from the first phase of our intervention, but certainly from the second phase. It was an arrogant hope that we could transform the nature of the country and the conflict. The best we can hope for, at this point, is to remember what happened and learn the lessons. ADVERTISEMENT The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has returned N67.5 million to a fraud victim, Emmanuel Onah , a trader based in Onitsha, Anambra State. A statement by the commissions spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, stated on Thursday that the money was recovered by the zonal office of the anti-graft agency in Enugu through a non-conviction based forfeiture. Mr Onah was said to have in 2019 transferred N75, 760,540 to the duo of Tega Esinone and Obiajulu Umeagukwu for onward transmission to his business partner, Crecedor Industrial Co. Ltd in Hong Kong. The suspects converted the money to their own use. After efforts to recover his money from the suspects failed, Onah petitioned the EFCC, Mr Uwujaren stated. The statement added that the commission investigated the matter, and subsequently initiated a non-conviction based forfeiture process. The process, according to the commission, culminated in a December 1, 2020 ruling by a judge of the Federal High Court in Enugu, Ibrahim Buba, ordering the forfeiture of the sum of N67, 522,831.55 in a new generation bank account belonging to Tega Esinone, to the victim. Cheques presentation Presenting the cheques to the victim Thursday, Oshodi Johnson, head of EFCCs Enugu office, said the gesture demonstrates the commissions stance on justice for all. EFCC is for everybody and all that the EFCC stands for is justice. We will continue to work within its mandate to ensure that Nigeria becomes a nation that is corrupt free. We will not rest until this is achieved, Mr Johnson added. He warned fraudsters of the commissions readiness to fish them out, saying that it would be better they repent from their nefarious activities because it was only a matter of time before the long arms of law would catch up with them. Grateful victim In his remarks after receiving the cheques, Mr Onah expressed gratitude to the commission for helping to recover his money. Honestly, I am so overjoyed because today is a day of smile. I came to you people in tears but today my heart is full of joy and my face is full of smiles. I am now a living testimony that the EFCC works and they can bring justice even to the common man, he said. A file photo from 2019 of Nicaraguan and Costa Rican schoolgirls in a group hug during recess at a school in Upala, Costa Rica. UNHCR/Flavia Sanchez UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling on the international community not to turn a blind eye to the plight of Nicaraguan refugees and asylum-seekers, as the pandemic exacerbates their vulnerabilities and needs. More than 108,000 Nicaraguans have been forced to flee their country since 2018, with two thirds of them seeking refuge in Costa Rica. UNHCR commends the steps taken by the government to give them protection and assistance. But since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, the capacity of refugees to cope with the situation has been undermined. Assessments in the country showed that pandemic-related restrictions have forced many Nicaraguan refugees and asylum-seekers to go hungry, eating only once a day or sometimes not at all. Unemployment has soared, leading many to borrow money or work informally in exchange for food. While the needs of the Nicaraguans continue to grow, the worlds attention span seems to shorten, said Milton Moreno, UNHCR Representative in Costa Rica. Without a prompt and adequate response, we risk yet another situation of completely preventable and unnecessary suffering. UNHCR has strengthened its programmes for Nicaraguan refugees and asylum-seekers, stepping up the provision of financial assistance to the most vulnerable. With UNHCR support, Costa Ricas national health service has also expanded insurance coverage to 10,000 refugees and asylum seekers in need of life-saving health care. However, funding for the response is falling short. UNHCRs operation in Costa Rica has received only 11 per cent of the US$32 million needed to help refugees meet their most basic needs and support the authorities to expedite processing of asylum claims. Costa Rica and UNHCR cannot address these challenges alone. We call on the international community to help us help the refugees, added Moreno. In the three years since large-scale protests in their country triggered a complex social and political crisis, more than 85,000 Nicaraguans have sought protection in Costa Rica. During the height of the pandemic (April-Nov 2020), the registration of asylum claims almost ground to a halt, dropping to 22 on average per month. Meanwhile, pending appointments to lodge asylum applications were re-scheduled for 2021, resulting in severe delays. Since December 2020, when the Migration Authoritys Refugee Unit resumed in-person activities, new asylum claims have averaged 1,237 per month. UNHCR supports the authorities to ensure bio-safety measures and equipment are in place during registration, to reduce processing times and ensure the quality of decisions on asylum claims. For more information on this topic, please contact: European Commission Foreign Policy Representative Peter Stano says that the issue of limiting the freedom of navigation by the Russian side around Ukrainian Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia will be the subject of discussion at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, April 19. He said this in Brussels on Friday at a briefing, answering a relevant question. Anticipating his reply, Stano recalled the EU's position on the clear and consistent support of the European Union for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The EC representative said that the EU supports Ukraine with regard to the announcement made by Russia. He added that they had taken this into account and were analyzing it, as well as the situation as a whole. EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell will discuss this issue at a meeting of foreign ministers on Monday, he said, adding that all aspects of that event will be taken into account, and after the discussion there will be a clear position of the EU. But deep into the fall and winter, I began to see that deep sense of isolation and fear especially for my child, an older teenager. Thats exactly the age when youre not supposed to be in your bedroom or under your parents eyes at all times. Youre supposed to be navigating the world and connecting with your peers and your friends. What will you take away from this experience? Ive learned so much more about how isolating it is for anyone who goes through a serious illness at home and how much your world shrinks. Something that a dear friend who had cancer once said, that really resonated with me, was that some people dont know what to say. Some people say nothing. Some people in your life will not show up. Some people will show up and just say, Let me know if theres something I can do, which isnt really helpful. I remember thinking how fortunate we had been, and how people showed up for us. And I tried to pay that forward when I learned of other people I knew who were caring for loved ones, or worried about loved ones who were sick with the virus. What do you want people to take away from your story? I always wished for people to know what it was really like. And if they knew what it was really like, they might understand that we all have a role to play in protecting one another and preventing as many people as possible from going through what we went through. And we were lucky Toby is alive, and there was a period when neither of us thought that was going to be the case. But in the end, I just wished that people would not have to experience something like this or much worse, as many others did. Catching up with readers During the past year, thousands of you have written in to tell us how youre coping during the pandemic and Ive featured many of your responses in our What youre doing section. Often, other readers wrote in to say how much the words from this section connected with them. Frequently, many of you wanted to know more. One of the submissions that received the most comments was from Chris in Prague, who had worked with his wife to build a transportation company, but lost his savings and was worried about losing his house. Since his submission, a friend started a GoFundMe page for him, and things have turned around. The Timberlane Regional School Board has approved a plan to end mask wearing outside, but asked the superintendent to meet with the teachers unions to gather input on possibly ending an indoor mask mandate for the final days of the school year. Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-16 00:37:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it is important that the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan coincides with progress in the peace process. Pakistan believes there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, spokesman of the foreign ministry Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said while responding to media queries about the U.S. decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan before Sept. 11 this year. He said a negotiated political solution through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process is important for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. The spokesman said Pakistan will continue to work together with the international community in efforts to promote Afghan peace process. Enditem Just because a party involves hurling dead fish into a neighboring state, doesnt mean there arent rules. The famed Flora-Bama has laid some down for its upcoming Mullet Toss. The Mullet Toss, or as it is formally billed, the Interstate Mullet Toss & Gulf Coasts Greatest Beach Party, returns to pre-pandemic form the weekend of April 23-25. As you might recall, COVID-19 not only resulted in the postponement of the 2020 toss, it made for an incredibly topsy-turvy year at the roadhouse overlooking the Gulf of Mexico from the Alabama-Florida line. The venue shut down as a promising spring break season vaporized, then reopened as a restaurant. In early June Florida allowed bars to open at 50% capacity, but it was only a few weeks before a surge in COVID-19 cases prompted Gov. Ron DeSantis to shut them down again. The Flora-Bama went back to being a restaurant, which lasted all the way through July and into August, when it got to be a bar again but still with limited capacity and other restrictions. Then Hurricane Sally caused another shutdown while minor storm damage was cleaned up. A few days after reopening in late September, Floridas statewide limits were lifted and the Flora-Bama was able to operate at full capacity. That, in turn, cleared the way for the Mullet Toss to return in October. For participants, it was a welcome taste of normal. Normal is a relative term when it comes to something like the Mullet Toss, but a real return to it means holding the event in the spring, giving a little energy to the lull between spring break and the start of the summer vacation season. It also means an event that draws tens of thousands of people and raises thousands of dollars for local charities. Flora-Bama admission is $10 per day for those 21 and up, $15 per day for ages 16-20 during the event. It costs $15 to throw a mullet; the fee includes a T-shirt. Mullet-tossing takes place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday-Sunday, with kids throwing at 10 a.m., adults at noon and celebrities at 4. Finals are daily at 4:30. Beyond that, The Flora-Bama released some guidelines on Friday developed in conjunction with the adjacent Phoenix X Condominiums. Information regarding the Mullet Toss: 1. Chairs around the Mullet Toss will be free and there will be areas blocked off for standing room. 2. Personal beach chairs are allowed on the Flora-Bama beach, but tents and umbrellas are prohibited. Space is first come, first served. 3. No outside coolers or alcohol can be brought onto Flora-Bamas licensed property. 4. Parking on Flora-Bama property is free, however extremely limited. We encourage the use of taxis, rideshare apps and carpooling. Any vehicles left overnight must be moved by 9 a.m. the next morning. 5. The Flora-Bama beach is open to the public, however, to enter the Flora-Bama you must purchase a wristband. 6. As always, you must be 21 to drink. Patrons must have a valid ID that will be checked upon entry. 7. Flora-Bama is cash only Friday and Saturday. There are ATMs on site. Information Regarding Phoenix X & Tent Rentals: 1. Access to the Phoenix X condo building & property will be limited to Phoenix X residents and renters. Wristbands will be issued upon check in. 2. Only Phoenix X residents & renters can park at the Phoenix X parking garage and must have a parking pass. Renters will receive their parking pass upon check in. 3. Tent space rentals on the beach behind the Phoenix X are available for rent ONLY for those who are renting at the Phoenix X for Mullet Toss weekend or owners at the Phoenix X. Tent renters will receive a separate wristband from Ikes Beach Service that is good for the Phoenix X beach area only. Please contact Ikes Beach Service at 251-948-3757 to rent a tent or for any questions. 4. Coolers are ONLY allowed in the Phoenix X beach area if you are an owner of a Phoenix X unit or have rented a Phoenix X condo for the weekend. Outside guests will not be permitted on Phoenix X property with coolers. 5. Flora-Bama wristbands will allow access into the Phoenix X beach area for foot traffic only. You may not bring coolers into this area with this wristband. 6. Amplified music is prohibited on Phoenix X beach. No large speakers or DJs. The Flora-Bama will be providing music on the beach for this area. U.S. President Joe Biden will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday and political analysts say Chinas growing influence will likely be high on the agenda. The two leaders will gather in Washington in what will be the U.S. presidents first in-person summit with a foreign leader since his January inauguration. The meeting comes as the U.S. seeks to challenge China on issues ranging from human rights to unfair trade practices. Rebuilding US alliances and competing with China are the core of Bidens foreign policy. The in-person meeting with Suga signals that Japan is a linchpin of both efforts, Jonathan Wood, director and lead U.S. analyst at consultancy Control Risks, told CNBC in an email. Countering Chinas Belt and Road Initiative Biden and Suga are expected to discuss U.S.-Japan security partnership and other potential areas of cooperation during their meeting. That could include climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic and stability in the Taiwan Strait, said analysts. One possible outcome of the summit is an infrastructure plan focusing on high-quality projects such as high-speed 5G internet and clean energy, Nikkei Asia reported last week. Such a U.S.-Japan infrastructure cooperation could rival Chinas massive Belt and Road Initiative, the report said. The Belt and Road Initiative is Chinas ambitious program to build physical and digital infrastructure that connects hundreds of countries from Asia to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Many critics consider it Chinese President Xi Jinpings signature foreign policy to expand his countrys global influence. Establishing an alternative to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative is important to Bidens overall foreign policy agenda in the Indo-Pacific, Neil Thomas, an analyst at risk consultancy Eurasia Group, told CNBC via email. Thats because the best way for Washington to compete with Beijings economic influence in the Indo-Pacific is to offer a more attractive development option to countries in the region, he added. Even before he was elected as president, Biden had criticized China for financing dirty fossil fuel projects through the Belt and Road Initiative. He brought up the possibility of working with allies to offer alternative sources of financing for lower-carbon energy projects. Japans balancing act Japan is an important U.S. ally in Asia, where Chinese influence has grown over the last few years. The Biden administration has prioritized Japan in its diplomatic activities in Asia-Pacific. Last month, Biden met virtually with leaders of the so-called Quad alliance, of which Japan is a member. Some analysts said the informal strategic alliance which includes the U.S., Australia and India could be a way to counter Chinas influence. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also visited Tokyo to meet with their Japanese counterparts last month. But Japan treads a fine line between the U.S. its main security partner, and China its largest economic partner. And the potential for the U.S. and Japan to become closer is not lost on Beijing. Last week, Chinas State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi in a phone call that Japan should view Chinas development with a more positive mentality. Prior to Wangs remarks, Beijing criticized the U.S.-Japan joint statement issued during Blinken and Austins visit to Tokyo. The statement raised concerns about Chinese behavior in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea that was inconsistent with the existing international order. Beijing shot back, saying the statement maliciously attacks Chinas foreign policy and flagrantly interferes with its domestic affairs. For Japan, balancing between the US and China right now requires a precise understanding of the intention and scope of US measures, said Wood of Control Risks. Eurasia Groups Thomas said Japan would stop short of supporting U.S. position on human rights issues and policies to selectively decouple from the Chinese economy. Yen Nee Lee : cnbc.com King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), has ordered the shipment of foodstuff aid to the Lebanon armed forces and the brotherly Lebanese people, as a personal royal donation . The delivery of this aid to Lebanon will be ensured by Moroccan military aircrafts , said a statement by the FAR General Staff. This Royal decision comes in response to a request made by the Lebanese side, and is part of solidarity with this sisterly country, in order to enable it to face the economic challenges and the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, the statemen,t said. With our troops coming home, we should reflect on Australias involvement in what has long seemed to be an unwinnable war. In doing so as a nation we must take stock of the costs incurred and benefits accrued. Top of the list is the cost in Australian lives. The 41 deaths on operations in Afghanistan are not the full tally. Hundreds more have died, mostly at their own hand, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Not enough is being done to stem that tide. Australias commitment to the Afghanistan war is, like the Americans, coming to an end. Credit:AP Australias comparable strategic cousins in Canada suffered 158 and the British 454 fatalities. At home, in 2020 alone, 1195 people were killed in road related deaths. Australias Afghanistan tally also stands in contrast to Australias earlier wars from Vietnam (550 killed), Malaya Confrontation (39), Korea (340 killed), as well as 100,000 killed in the two world wars. Despite criticisms of some failures of command, successive commanders have managed to bring back home the overwhelming majority, if not quite everyone, in their contingents. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced his plan to withdraw all 2,500 American troops from Afghanistan by September 11th, months later than the May 1st deadline that the Trump administration and the Taliban agreed on last year. White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report. (Newser) Police say at least eight people were killed in a mass shooting late Thursday night at a FedEx warehouse in Indianapolis. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Genae Cook says multiple other victims were hospitalized, the Indianapolis Star reports. Police believe the gunman killed himself, the AP reports. Cook says police found an "active shooter incident" with multiple gunshot victims when they were called to the scene just after 11pm. story continues below Interstate 70 was briefly closed in both directions near the incident, which took place near Indianapolis International Airport on the city's southwest side. "Safety is our top priority, and our thoughts are with all those who are affected," a FedEx spokesman tells CNN. The New York Times reports that more than 100 people who have not been able to contact loved ones have gathered at a hotel near the facility and are being assisted by representatives of the police chaplain's office. (Read more Indianapolis stories.) State Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, said new federal aid allows for once-in-a-lifetime investments. But, Barrett, vice chairman of the House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight, said the Legislature needs a greater role in spending that money. LOS ANGELESIn 2016, France passed a law decriminalizing sex work, the Prostitution Act. The law removed criminal penalties for selling sexual services, but made it a crime to pay for sex, the so-called Nordic Model of sex work decriminalization. The model has been law in Sweden since 1999, and was soon followed by Norway and Iceland. But a new study by researchers at the Center for International Studies in Paris recently released a 36-page report deeming the law a failure when it comes to redefining the power relationship between sex workers and their clients. In fact, in just six months leading up to February of 2020, 10 French sex workers were murdered, as part of an overall uptick in violence against sex workers, according to the group Decrim Now, which advocates full decriminalization. The Center for International Studies report notes that shifting the criminal responsibility for sex work offenses from the providers to the purchasers has actually given clients more power over sex workers. The drop in client numbers has increased clients power to negotiate acceptance of unsafe sexual practices. In fact, sex workers pointed to client criminalization as the main factor in their loss of power due to a decrease in income, which was reported by 78.2 percent of respondents, the report states. In contrast to the argument in favor of criminalization, which assumes that sex workers hold the upper hand in the power relationship with a client who is committing an offense, the interviews unanimously revealed that the balance of power has deteriorated. The growing competition between sex workers is advantageous to the clients. The law itself had not even succeeded in its stated purpose, of deterring clients from purchasing sexual services, according to French Senator Annick Billon, president of the senates delegation for womens rights. Billon told the German news agency DW that in the four years that the Prostitution Act has been in effect, only 5,000 fines have been imposed on prospective customers, though France is estimated to have a sex worker population numbering 40,000. The law imposes fines equivalent to about $1,800 for a first sex-purchasing offense, and $4,500 for a second offense. Even in Sweden, where the Nordic Model was first put into effect, a 2015 study found only weak evidence that it had any effect on the sex work trade there, while at the same time creating unintended consequences, according to the DW report. Nonetheless, the Nordic Model continues to be favored by lawmakers seeking to reform laws against sex work. In the United States, legislators in New York introduced a bill earlier this year that would remove criminal penalties for sex workers, while criminalizing the purchase of sex. Frances highest constitutional court upheld the Nordic Model law in 2019. But the European High Court of Human Rights is now expected to rule on the challenge to the 2016 law. "This kind of policy is so bad that I want to make sure that other European countries are sent the message that human rights are being denied with such a law, said French sex worker Cybele Lesperance, who is one of 260 individuals to file court challenges to the Prostitution Act. Photo By Flickr / Pexels Pippa Middleton wrapped up warm today as she took a stroll through west London with her two-year-old son Arthur. The Duchess of Cambridge's sister, 37, who welcomed her second child Grace Elizabeth Jane with husband James Matthews last month, sported a midi patterned coat and gold-rimmed Rayban sunglasses for the stroll. The mother-of-two tied her hair back and kept a natural make-up free look for the relaxed jaunt in Chelsea. Pippa Middleton wrapped up warm today as she took a stroll through west London with her two-year-old son Arthur today Keeping it causal, the socialite sported a black jeans and white trainers with an open collared shirt. It comes just a month after Pippa's second child Grace was born in the early hours of 15th March, weighing 6lbs 7oz. Announcing the birth just hours later, a source told Hello!: 'Mother and baby are doing well. She's perfect, everyone is overjoyed at such a happy arrival.' Grace's middle names are a nod to her grandmothers, Carole Elizabeth Middleton and Jane Matthews, while Elizabeth might also be a subtle acknowledgement of the family's royal ties. The Duchess of Cambridge 's sister, 37, who welcomed her second child Grace Elizabeth Jane with husband James Matthews last month, sported a midi patterned coat and gold-rimmed Rayban sunglasses for the stroll Hedgefund billionaire James, brother of reality TV star Spencer Matthews, and author Pippa currently reside in a 17 million six-bedroom home in London. Rumours of Pippa's pregnancy first swirled shortly before Christmas when Page Six reported the couple were expecting another baby. A source close to the Middleton family told the US publication in December Kate's sister was expecting, saying: 'Pippa and James are thrilled, it's fantastic news amid a difficult year. The entire family is delighted.' The mother-of-two tied her hair back and kept a natural make-up free look for the relaxed jaunt in Chelsea Keeping it causal, the socialite sported a black jeans and white trainers with an open collared shirt Pippa never commented on the pregnancy and instead kept a low public profile. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will no doubt be delighted with their new baby niece, which came in the wake of the fallout of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell Oprah interview. As well as the Cambridge children, Grace has two cousins on her father's side of the family: Theodore Frederick Michael, two, and Gigi Margaux Matthews, nine months, the children of Spencer Matthews and his Irish model wife Vogue Williams. The Matthews family owns the Eden Rock resort on St Barts, one of the region's most exclusive hotels beloved by many famous faces. Hedgefund billionaire James, brother of reality TV star Spencer Matthews, and author Pippa currently reside in a 17 million six-bedroom home in London . Kate and Pippa's brother James Middleton, 33, is engaged to Alizee Thevenet. Pippa and James also raise their children with the support of their parents, with Carole recently telling Good Housekeeping that she is a hands-on grandmother. 'I want to run down the hills, climb the trees, and go through the tunnel at the playground,' she said. 'As long as I am able to, that's what I'll be doing. I cook with them, I muck around dancing, we go on bike rides.' Rumours of Pippa's pregnancy first swirled shortly before Christmas when Page Six reported the couple were expecting another baby. Pippa and James also raise their children with the support of their parents, with Carole recently telling Good Housekeeping that she is a hands-on grandmother. She said she would hope to pass down a love of the countryside and hoped she could help them 'really see the value of being able to appreciate nature and be active outdoors.' Describing herself as 'very family-orientated', Carole said she has always 'tried hard to be a listening grandmother and mother-in-law' to Prince William, 38, and Pippa's husband James Matthews. Pippa and James tied the knot in 2017 at St Mark's Church in Englefield, the estate of former Conservative MP Richard Benyon. Mummy cool! The sister of Kate Middleton was seen shopping in west London with her son in the week non-essential shops reopened In 2018, Pippa welcomed baby Arthur in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital, the same place where sister Kate gave birth to all three of her children. The socialite and columnist documented how she stayed active during her first pregnancy for Waitrose Weekend magazine revealing that little Arthur follows in the active family's footsteps. 'Now that Arthur is 11 months old and more mobile, I have been trying to come up with different activities to do with him,' she wrote in September 2019. 'I needed to find something more than just park walks in the pram. Our local baby gym has been a saving grace. It's a big space full of fun, soft objects, playmats, stairs, balls, swings, mini trampolines and more to stimulate and physically engage babies and toddlers,' she added. As eligibility opened for all Georgians over the age 16 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on March 25, some of the Red & Black staff have been observant and quick to receive the vaccine. The process for some was not easy, but for others, it took little effort and they were able to schedule an appointment within a few days. Similarly, some recipients of the vaccine have experienced side effects and others have not, all depending on how it reacts to the individuals bodies. Where to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Athens Georgia has administered 4,466,497 vaccines according to the Georgia Department of Public Healths dashboard as of April 8. The list below highlights where Athens-Clarke County residents can get vaccinated if they havent yet. Here are some of the vaccine experiences from the Red & Black staff. Lucinda Warnke - News Contributor Vaccine administered: Pfizer, first dose I went to Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Signing up was very straightforward, I just used the Georgia Department of Public Health website. The staff was organized and able to get me in and out in about fifteen minutes. While the stadium is large and can seem complicated to navigate, there were lots of signs and workers that told me exactly where to go. My arm was sore for a few days, but other than that I felt fine. Julia Walkup - News Editor Vaccine administered: Pfizer, both doses The process was super easy! For the first one, I called Walgreens to be put on the waste list, and they called me that afternoon to come in! The second one I made an appointment with the University Health Center and it was seamless. For the first dose, I had a fever and chills, but it turned out I was sick with a cold when I got the vaccine, so these side effects may have been from the cold instead. For the second dose, I was just fatigued and my arm was sore for a few days. Eva Pound - News Contributor Vaccine administered: Pfizer, first dose I thought I would be in a rush to find an appointment when Georgia opened their vaccines to anyone over 16, but honestly, I found it quite easy to find an appointment. The only thing is that I kept switching locations to find one closer to me because I didnt want to have to travel extremely far. The location was a Walgreens store and it was really easy to bring the pharmacy my insurance card and license to check-in. Then I sat down and waited around 20 minutes for someone to administer the vaccine. You are also advised to stay for 15 minutes after, which I did, to make sure you have no side effects. As for side effects, I had some soreness in my right arm for two days which is normal after any vaccine for me. Zachary Tate - Video Editor Vaccine administered: Pfizer, both doses It took a few days of close watching of the Walgreens vaccine portal, but I lucked out and found a vaccine after 2 days. I only had a sore arm, but thats it. It was easier than I expected! The shot was painless and I left Walgreens feeling optimistic about the future. I got the second dose at the UGA Health Center they run a tight ship over there. My only side effect was some slight fatigue and, of course, a sore arm. But I was fully recovered after two days and grateful I was able to get vaccinated. Brieanna Smith - News Contributor Vaccine administered: Pfizer, first dose So my grade school system offered vaccines for current students eligible and their families. A private link was sent out to those families. My family was one because I have 3 siblings still in school. My mom forwarded the email to me, and they just offered it I think for one day on Wednesday, March 31, but you could sign up for different time slots. The site was at the new recreation center in Oglethorpe County. Afterward, my arm just hurt for a bit. Vesper Henry - News Contributor/LGBT+ Beat Writer Vaccine administered: Johnson & Johnson Somebody sent me information about a pop-up clinic that the Hodgson's Pharmacy was doing. They were only offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was perfect because I have a terrible phobia of needles and could barely handle myself getting one shot, much less two. I signed up beforehand by just putting my name under a certain timeslot and only had to fill out two quick sheets of paperwork when I arrived. I had a friend come as moral support, which was so good because I ended up waiting in line for an hour, but I didn't even notice because they were there. Had I been by myself I definitely would have gotten stuck in my own head. All the workers at the event were so kind and understanding. They were giving out vouchers for a free scoop of ice cream at Hodgson's and even gave me two because I was so nervous (and my friend also slid in a comment after one of the people working almost did it on accident). The vaccine itself was very quick! It hurt a little bit but because of my phobia and anxiety, I was probably more hyperaware than most people. The nurse/vaccine giver had me calm my breathing before getting up again because I was breathing pretty fast. My friend guided me to the 15-minute waiting room where I focused on calming down, getting water, and moving my arm around to minimize soreness. All around it isn't bad! I've had brief moments of nausea or dizziness, but again because of my anxiety I couldn't tell you if it was from that or the vaccine. The soreness isn't terrible: I was able to do a 4-hour shift at work and it honestly didn't get particularly bothersome until I finally got to relax. I took two Advil so I could sleep (which you are allowed to do AFTER but not BEFORE the vaccine) and on day two, the soreness is manageable without any medication. On the second day I had some dizzy spells, but that could have also been something else. My biggest ones have been nausea and mood swings. WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand said on Friday it has agreed to give Amazon extra rebates on its expenses for the filming of "The Lord of the Rings" TV series in the country, hoping to reap multi-year economic and tourism benefits. Amazon will get an extra 5% from New Zealand's Screen Production Grant in addition to the 20% grant the production already qualifies for, the government said in a statement. Amazon is estimated to be spending about NZ$650 million ($465 million) filming the first season of the show, for broadcast on its Amazon Prime streaming platform, meaning it would be eligible for a rebate of about NZ$162 million ($116 million), the government said. "The agreement with Amazon ... generates local jobs and creates work for local businesses," Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash said in a statement. "It will enable a new wave of international tourism branding and promotion for this country." The first season entered production in Auckland last year with more than 1,200 people employed. Approximately 700 workers are indirectly employed by providing services to the production, the government said. U.S.-based Amazon media officials weren't immediately available for comment outside regular U.S. business hours. ($1 = 1.3976 New Zealand dollars) (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) Congressmen Fred Keller and Dan Meuser spent part of this week in the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas, talking to Customs and Border Patrol agents about the migrant situation at the border and seeing firsthand the humanitarian toll it is taking on everyone in the region. It was eye-opening, Meuser, R-9, Dallas, said of his tour at the border. No matter what you see in the news, its nothing like being there, he said. Meuser said he was given access to anywhere he wanted to go. Meuser and Keller, R-12, Kreamer, were among two groups of congressmen who flew down to the southern border over the weekend. This has truly been a tragic turn of events over the last few months, unfortunately, Meuser said Tuesday after he had returned from Texas. Four months ago, he said, the border was more or less secure. The (President Joe) Biden administration felt it necessary to reverse, whether they were good programs or not, what the (former President Donald) Trump administration had instituted, and put our border in order. Meuser said he was told that 15,000 illegal immigrants were being apprehended back in October and November. By March the count is 170,000 being apprehended, Meuser said. Border Patrol agents wanted Meuser and the other congressmen to see how many drugs were making it over the border. Gun smuggling, Meuser was told, was up 131%. Keller also heard from Border Patrol, farmers and ranchers, and local officials at various stops in El Paso, Texas, and Dona Ana and Luna counties in New Mexico. Keller talked to law enforcement officers in El Paso about the difficulties posed by the ongoing migrant surge, where recidivism is at 44%. Border patrol agents are currently stretched thin, tasked with serving as social workers and detention guards in addition to patrolling 260 miles of border, he said. A farming family in New Mexico met with Keller and talked about the criminal element moving over the border. They were afraid for their lives when they went out to take care of their cattle, Keller said, recalling the conversation. Keller also had a chance to see where construction on the wall had stopped. There are supplies rotting in the heat because President Biden stopped construction of the border wall, which is so badly needed to keep the criminal element, who these people are encountering every day, out of our country. Unaccompanied minors Unaccompanied minors are also a problem, Meuser said. Meuser said he saw how children were put in pods of 50 where the the capacity was normally 15. That part is a mess, he said. That said, within the pod, these children were treated as best as possible ... with daily showers and food available, he said. The large number of minors being kept in pods is a direct result of a Biden decision to modify a Trump executive order, Meuser said. Under Biden unaccompanied minors are not being deported, he said. Meuser is empathetic about the migrants. For the most part they just want a better life, he said. They walk across a desert to get to the U.S. Certainly we need to address some kind of immigration reform. But right now, that is causing this disaster a disaster that no one in the Biden administration was ready for. It is very emotional to see these folks who just want a better life, he said. We asked the guards what should be done, Meuser said. They said our communication needs to be consistent. There cant be one Democratic message and one Republican message. There has to be an American response on what we are doing. Secondly, work with Mexico to control the movement of these immigrants. In recent days the Biden administration has re-established agreements with the Mexican and Guatemalan government to station troops at their northern borders. I think that will help us on our border, Meuser said. If someone was seeking asylum they would have their hearing and then if appropriate they could come in, Meuser said. Agents told Meuser they do not want Title 42 lifted because it would lead to millions of people seeking to cross the border, he said. Title 42, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lets Customs and Border Protection expel undocumented migrants to prevent the spread of the virus in holding facilities. Meuser said part of the solution is for Congress to act on a bipartisan, American plan. The girl was shot and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, where she was immediately taken into surgery before she died late Thursday, police said. The girl, identified as Lydia Jimenez, of the 2900 block of West 25th Street, was pronounced dead at 11:59 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiners office. Zicam Integrated Security, a surveillance and security specialist company, has signed another one-year full maintenance package with Sunseeker International, the British luxury performance motor yacht brand. Zicam Integrated Security will also be installing a brand new state-of-the-art CCTV system, in late 2021, at Sunseeker International's extensive manufacturing facility in Portland, Dorset. CCTV system installed The continued relationship between the two brands is explained by Sunseeker Internationals Security Operations Manager, Mike McLaughlin, with the high quality of products and customer service cited as being at the core. Mike McLaughlin said, We have been working with Zicam across multiple sites in and around Poole since 2016. What makes Zicam different from other companies I have used in my many years in the business is communication, pride in work, and trust. Risk assessments and method statements are all in place prior to works starting and once in place they are adhered to at all times. High standards of product quality Zicam Integrated Security sets extremely high standards in terms of quality of product and customer service" He adds, Zicam Integrated Security sets extremely high standards in terms of quality of product and customer service. The company will only fit the best kit on the market, and I know that I can get an answer or returned phone call from the Operations team, Operations Manager, Managing Director, or even the CEO, for 365 days of the year. This was in fact proven on 26th December 2020, when the cameras went down across all sites at around 08:30 am. I made a quick call to Zicams CEO, Milan Mazic and he dealt with the issue personally. Mike further stated, Staff is always professional and courteous, and will happily change their working day, in order to best serve our business. Zicam works in a way that involves the client from the point of the first meeting, up to and including the end product. We can be involved in the design of the required system, and implicitly trust the advice provided, with Zicam giving us honest quotes for the works that need to be done, and even advising better ways of doing things at a reduced cost. Zicam Sunseeker partnership He adds, I recall the first day I met with Milan Mazic and I was impressed from that very first meeting by his knowledge, his honesty and openness, and in the way he spoke with others. Zicam has very much become part of the Sunseeker LTD family and will continue to be so. It is a pleasure to work with the whole team and the works they carry out, and finished products are the best I have used. In summary, there is nothing more to say other than working with Zicam is so simple, it's magical. Interview with Mrs. Luz-Maria Nieto-Caraveo, Professor and Academic Vice President of the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, and Mexican Representative in AHELO Group of National Experts (GNE) Why is your country interested in AHELO? Intense work has been done on a National Quality Assessment System during the last decades, including self-assessment, external assessment, national tests for entering and graduating students in higher education, quality assurance agencies, and the overall assessment of the system. It must be taken into account that the higher education system in Mexico is constantly growing, in the context of the demographic, economic, technological and political transition the country is undergoing. Furthermore, a good part of the most important HEIs is implementing substantial reforms oriented towards innovation, the development of competencies, curricular flexibility and student mobility, among others. Mexicos participation in this project will allow for the generation of new institutional learning, the exploration of methodological alternatives in the international spectrum, the widening of the assessment capacities in participating institutions and in general of the entire HEI system. So far, three universities have expressed an interest in participating in the project, all of them part of the subsystem of Public State Universities: the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, the University of Guadalajara, and the Autonomous University of Yucatan. The participation of some other HEIs is expected, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education (SEP), as well as the involvement of agencies that are part of the Higher Education Assessment System in Mexico. What specific challenges does AHELO present to higher education in your country? The challenges presented by AHELO in Mexico are basically the need to identify, analyse, recognise and assume articulated components of professional training on a common platform, in the context of the diversity of characteristics of the subsystems and institutions of higher education in Mexico and the rest of participating countries. The main challenge within Mexico is to demonstrate that the assessment of learning outcomes is possible in the framework of this diversity, provided that this is assumed with a comprehensive perspective oriented towards improvement. Mexico has a very diverse higher education system, not only because of the origin of financing (public or private), but because of its forms of organisation, functions (for example those in which research has a strong role and others where it does not: technological institutes, polytechnic universities, among others), degrees of autonomy and decentralisation, and the type of studies offered. Furthermore, participation in this project will require a profound, critical and prospective reflection on the implications of assessment of learning outcomes in teacher training, curricular design and programme assessment, among others, both at the level of each participating institution as well as at the level of the whole system. Another challenge stems from the necessary construction of a form of inter-institutional organisation that allows for the viability of the project in a conceptual, methodological, and operational manner, as well as permission to call on experts, authorities, professors and students to participate, through a scheme of transparent communication, which is also open to stakeholders. Finally, another important challenge is to assume the multicultural perspective of the assessment of learning outcomes, both inside the country, in relation to other participants on the project, and by incorporating factors that allow for the proper contextualization of the project findings. Do you think some institutions in your country are worried over a new assessment tool such as AHELO? What would you tell them? Assessing higher education, understood as a comprehensive process, is oriented towards improving professional training, as it provides the elements that allow for fundament decisions to be taken during the process of change. As the AHELO project is put forward with that primary end, their results will give more pertinence to educational programs. The advantage of assessing learning outcomes is to obtain information on the achievements of plans and programs of study, as well as to detect weaknesses to be corrected in our institutions. This study has not been designed to draw position lists (rankings) or simple comparisons. It is a contextualized study, designed from a clear scientific base that proceeds via random samplings inside institutions, from a representative selection of these samplings, with the purpose of avoiding distortions of information. Its results should be articulated with the contextual factors that constitute one of the paramount ambits of the analysis. What could be the benefit of AHELO for your country, the institutions, the students and the employers? It is considered that the added value of the AHELO project rests in its possibility to generate synergies, as well as comparative learnings, from an international and multicultural perspective, focalizing the topic of outcomes assessment as one more necessary component of assessment of quality of education. This will surely strengthen public policies and self-assessment processes and external assessment of educational programs, and contribute to improve the quality of our graduates. From the technical point of view, participation in this project will allow us to increase our reserve of experiences, methodologies and instruments of assessment of higher education. What experience does your country bring to the assessment of HE learning outcomes? Mexico can provide experience derived from the diverse modalities of assessment of higher education, such as the external assessment by CIEES (Inter-institutional Committees of Assessment of Higher Education); the accreditation of educational programmes by organisms recognised by the COPAES (Council for the Assessment of Higher Education a civil association); the general graduation and entrance exams, CENEVAL (National Center for the Assessment of Higher Education a civil association); and the projects and activities of the INEE (National Institute of Assessment of Education), among others. In the ambit of higher education institutions, there is an important stock of experiences, reflections, products and instruments in all these modalities, plus those of institutional self-assessment and of educational programmes. Furthermore, there is in Mexico a considerable body of systematic research and reflection concerning the conceptual, methodological and technical aspects of educational assessment that has been documented in diverse publications, and which underpins research networks and specialised institutions. LAHORE , PAKISTAN : The French embassy in Pakistan on Thursday advised all of its nationals and companies to temporarily leave the country after anti-France violence erupted in the Islamic nation over the arrest of a radical leader. Saad Rizvi was arrested Monday for threatening the government with mass protests if it did not expel French envoy Marc Barety over the publication depictions of Islams Prophet Muhammad. French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes Von Der Muhll said about 400 to 500 French nationals live in Pakistan and they will be able to leave via commercial flights. There was no immediate comment by Pakistan's foreign ministry. But, interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said French citizens living in Pakistan were safe and security had been provided to them. At a news conference Wednesday, he the operation against Rizvi supporters was launched when they refused to end their sit-in peacefully. He said a government order was being formally issued to outlaw Rizvis party so that it never creates such a situation in the future. The latest development comes a day after the government announced to ban the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party, which is headed by Rizvi. The arrest sparked violent protests by Rizvi's followers, who disrupted traffic by staging sit-ins on highways and later blocked roads in major cities, including the southern port city of Karachi and the garrison city of Rawalpindi. They also staged a sit-in in the capital, Islamabad, and blocked a key road from Monday to Wednesday when police launched a nationwide crackdown, triggering clashes that killed two policemen and wounded 580 others. Three demonstrators also died in the clashes with police. Thousands of Rizvi's followers were still rallying in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province where they have a strong presence. According to Ahmed, the country's interior minister, the Cabinet had approved his proposal for outlawing Rizvi's party. He said Rizvi's demand could not be accepted as the expulsion of the French ambassador and ban on French products could harm the country's national interest. He said the supporters of Rizvi who were still rallying will be sternly dealt with by security forces. Rizvi emerged as the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party in November after the sudden death of his father, Khadim Hussein Rizvi. His party wants the government to boycott French products and expel the French ambassador before April 20 under an agreement signed by it. Rizvi's Tehreek-e-Labiak and other Islamist parties have denounced French President Emmanuel Macron since October last year, saying he tried to defend caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad as freedom of expression. Macrons comments came after a young Muslim beheaded a French school teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. The images had been republished by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to mark the opening of the trial over the deadly 2015 attack against the publication for the original caricatures. That enraged many Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere who believe those depictions were blasphemous. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Montgomery County commissioners showed their support Tuesday for pending legislation aimed at preventing fraud at the ballot box. The court unanimously approved a resolution in favor of House Bill 6 authored by Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, and filed in March. As issues associated with election fraud continue to arise, and they are multiplying, the fraud becomes more obvious to us that it has taken place, said County Judge Mark Keough. According to the resolution, fraud in election threatens the stability and undermines the public confidence in the legitimacy of public officers. It adds that the 2020 election cycle brought forward serious questions surrounding the integrity and security of elections in Texas and across the United States. Keough said as the legislature has tried to address voter fraud, legislators have been accused of voter suppression, discrimination and intimidation. He said HB 6 dispels those accusations and identifies the fraud and establishes corrective measures. While the bill ensures only eligible voters can vote and that their vote is counted toward the candidate they choose, the bill also makes it a state jail felony for mail-in ballots to be sent to those who did not request it. The bill allows for voters to have someone help them but will require that person to provide their name and address, relationship to the voter and the reason the voter needs assistance. cdominguez@hcnonline.com In this weeks episode of Good Weekend Talks, we discuss the mercurial, talented actor Sharon Stone, perhaps Hollywoods most famous femme fatale. Good Weekend writer Jane Cadzow was given a rare interview with Stone, who claims director Paul Verhoeven tricked her into removing her white knickers in that notorious up-the-skirt scene from Basic Instinct, by complaining they reflected the light. Loading I can be quite imperious, Stone admits to Cadzow, who discusses the actors tell-all memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, with Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland. There was the time during the shooting of a film that Stone was supposed to be handed a gun with a quarter load of wadded paper in it. Someone had instead switched it to a full load, making it ricochet off the plexiglass she was shooting at and singe her eyebrow. Her response? I grabbed the producer by the lapels, picked him up and went to punch him in the face. I said, You motherfer, you could have killed me. Youre a fing idiot! You broke the law, you fing idiot. The discussion describes how Stones tough, demanding personality was forged by her challenging childhood, including the sexual abuse of her younger sister, Kelly, by their maternal grandfather. (JNS) Jordans recent domestic upheaval reportedly involved members of the royal Jordanian family and prominent Bedouin tribesmen, who were arrested and charged with an attempted regime change. Other Arab countries were also said to be involved. Regime change in Jordan could transform the strategically located country into another haven for Palestinian and Islamic terrorism. It would threaten the existence of the current regimes in Saudi Arabia, all other pro-U.S. Gulf states and Egypt, advancing the interests of Iran, Turkey, the Muslim Brotherhood, China and Russia, and would have... Alternative, post-rocks Alex Henry Foster releases today (April 16) his live triple-vinyl / double-CD and concert film Standing Under Bright Lights. Available at digital and streaming outlets everywhere from Hopeful Tragedy Records, the project was recorded live in front of a sold out Club Soda (July 2019) while Foster headlined the Montreal International Jazz Festival. From Montreal and now residing in the highlands of Virginia, Fosters full production, 11-piece band concert, Standing Under Bright Lights, was named one of the top five events not to be missed by Canadas national TV/Radio broadcaster CBC. Originally set to release October 8, 2020, which would have been his late fathers birthday, Foster decided to utilize the extra time the worldwide pandemic would give him to produce the recording and concert film. Along with lead singles The Son of Hannah and Winter Is Coming In that have received hundreds of thousands of plays across numerous playlists, Standing Under Bright Lights features every song from Fosters debut solo album, Windows in the Sky, which hit No. 1 multiple times on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, staying in the Top 40 on the chart for a full year after its release. The songs from this celebrated album were re-invented for the live recording as the band performed along with a movie projection produced by Foster. Almost 2 hours and 30 minutes long, the concert at which Standing Under Bright Lights was recorded is now considered among the best concerts throughout the 40 years of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The Vancouver Sun says, "This is the kind of live album that used to establish artists while American Songwriter agrees that the Standing Under Bright Lights performance captivated concert-goers every second with improv, emotions, darkness, poetry laden lyrics, spoken word vocals and experimental music that transported everyone in attendance to a different plane. Its sheer energy and intimate reveal is now available to the world. What a privilege it was to share once more with my friends from @AmerSongwriter, this time about not only my first concert at @MtlJazzFestival, but also about how I wanted to approach the songs for the first time theyd be played live, tweets Foster. Along with the aforementioned coverage, Foster has been recently featured by Rolling Stone, Prog Magazine, Glide Magazine, ICI Premiere(CBC), Montreal Gazette, Interview Under Fire, Montreal Rocks, Sound Vapors, Louder Than War, FYI Music News, PAN M 360, Rebel Noise, All Rock and many more. Foster also shares his Spotify Playlist at BrooklynVegan. Following the release of the Standing Under Bright Lights, Foster and his band are preparing to tour internationally with 23 dates in Europe set to begin in May, pandemic allowing. For all the latest Alex Henry Foster tour, music news and more, go to http://alexhenryfoster.com/, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp and Hopeful Tragedy Records Store. About Alex Henry Foster: Rolling Stone, Paste- featured Alex Henry Foster launched his debut solo album Windows in the Sky Nov. 9, 2018. The albums critical and mass success would once again propel Foster to the forefront of the Canadian music scene where he stood for about a decade as the lead singer for Juno Awards-nominated, post-rock band Your Favorite Enemies before going on hiatus the moment he left for Tangier to mourn his fathers passing. This grieving period, which would last two years, became a journey to the end of his sorrowful desperation and is what would ultimately inspire and give life to the No. 1-selling Windows in the Sky. From Montreal and currently living in Virginia, Foster is using his music and lyrics to bring something greater than ourselves, and shares from personal experiences about depression, dreams, grief and hope. Along with the live album and concert film Standing Under Bright Lights, Foster is preparing to release his book If Only the Voices In My Head Couldnt Lie later this year. ### We are not on an equal footing because let them return our boys and girls first before talking about anything with Azerbaijan, and then we will think about the next step. Armenias President Armen Sarkissian on Friday stated this in Tbilisi, Georgia, speaking with Armenian reporters. "The restoration or normalization of bilateral relations cannot be at the expense of one partyat our expense. I cannot forget the [Armenian] Genocide as history, put it all aside if the other side does not take any steps to recognize [it] or apologize [for it]. When that happens, then we will think, then it will be clear," Sarkissian said. And asked whether in his opinion US President Joe Biden will use the word "genocide" in his April 24 message, the Armenian President responded: "I have my analysis, and it would be wrong if the President of the Republic of Armenia says that he has expectations. After all, it will be the decision of the US president, not mine. We will give an assessment when the decision is made. I can analyze, but it would not be right for me to voice it." INKSTER, MI A former Inkster middle school science teacher has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault against a minor student, authorities announced today. Ted Mark Anderson, 61, of Detroit, is charged with six counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, which involves penetration, of a female student from fall 2007 through 2010, according to a news release from the Wayne County Prosecutors Office. The charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison. The victim is now an adult, but her identity is not being released. She was in the sixth grade at Thomas Gist Academy in Inkster when the assaults began, the release said. It is alleged that Anderson would pick the victim up at a bus stop in Inkster and take her to his home on the 1900 block of Chene Street in Detroit to sexually assault her, the release said. He is also accused of sexually assaulting her at other locations over the duration of the alleged abuse. Anderson was arraigned today, April 16, in the 36th District Court and posted a $250,000 bond. He was placed on a GPS tether and released on the conditions that he would have no unsupervised contact with minors and no contact with the victim. His probable cause conference is set for April 27. The preliminary examination, during which specific facts and evidence in the case will be revealed, is set for May 4 before 36th District Judge Roberta Archer. While it is very important to note that Mr. Anderson is presumed innocent, our concern is that there may be other victims, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. Victims of sexual assault can call Cpl. Blake Easton of the Detroit Police Department Sex Crimes Unit at 313-596-2214 to make a report. READ MORE: Woman charged with murder of newborn found dead in bloody bag Michigan lawmaker Jewell Jones charged with resisting police, possessing gun during super-drunk traffic stop Man sexually assaulted wife hundreds of times throughout marriage, Michigan Attorney General says Michigan man accused of assaulting, impregnating underage girl Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. As pubs in Northern Ireland were told they can resume indoor drinking and dining on May 24, the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) says the Irish Government must immediately publish its plan to get the hospitality sector reopened in the Republic. In a significant move, similar to the reopening plan in England, all hospitality outlets in the North will reopen together. Padraig Cribben, VFI Chief Executive, says the most significant message coming from the North is that all hospitality opens together, including pubs, hotels and restaurants. "Similar to England, there is no divide based on food. That must be replicated here and avoid the divisions created in 2020," Mr Cribben says. There has been commentary from senior politicians here about allowing hotels reopen in June. Our message is clear that if indoor premises such as hotels are deemed safe it logically follows that, with the appropriate measures in place, a pub is also safe. All hospitality outlets must open together, Mr Cribben continues. In the absence of any meaningful plan from Government, the VFI is publishing a reopening template that highlights the key metrics NPHET and Government must address to allow pubs reopen. Pubs in the North know they will reopen indoors on May 24, which introduces a welcome degree of certainty and stability to the trade. Thats exactly the sort of approach we need here, as publicans continue to feel abandoned by Government," Mr Cribben says. The reopening template highlights details Government need to provide to give our members some certainty. "The key to reopening is vaccinations and hospitalisation numbers. As our template illustrates, we need Government to tell us how many people need to be vaccinated to allow hospitality reopen. We also need to understand what level of hospitalisations will Government deem safe for our members to resume trading. This will give re-assurance to employees and hope to publicans." He says the VFI is "gravely concerned" about how reopening in the North will impact businesses along the border. From April 30, pubs in the North will resume outdoor drinking and dining, so in a few short weeks our members in the border region will start to lose customers across the border. For how long is that sustainable? Its another clear cut reason why Government must publish its reopening plan for hospitality immediately," Mr Cribben says. England will reopen indoor drinking and dining on May 17 and has correctly abandoned the mandatory meal provision, while Northern Ireland will follow suit one week later. After being closed for over 14 months, our members in the Republic deserve the same level of respect. For the sake of businesses across the country its vital this is the last lockdown. The reopening must be sustainable and carry a strong degree of confidence that progress towards a full reopening without the need for social distancing is the ultimate destination. If the delay in publishing a reopening plan continues any longer, we are calling on Government to double the CRSS payment to publicans. As we approach the make or break summer season, the Government must either provide confidence to the trade through a sustainable reopening plan or else increase supports, concludes Mr Cribben. Pre-order prices for both the Sony Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III have been published on the companys country-specific site for Russia. While the prices for the new phones are expectedly high, it seems there is a decent headphones-related gift to be had for Russian Xperia fans who make a timely pre-order booking. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 5G , Accessory , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker Prices for the Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III have been posted on Sony.ru, as spotted by u/balkanik0 on Reddit. The phones, which both feature the Snapdragon 888 chipset, do have high price tags, although the Sony Xperia 1 III is possibly not as prohibitively expensive as was expected. The smaller but still powerful Sony Xperia 5 III is certainly not a cheap alternative either but it will appeal to those who want a compact flagship smartphone. Fortunately for buyers in Russia, there is further temptation in the form of a pre-order free gift. For those willing to pay out 99,990 Russian rubles on the 6.5-inch Sony Xperia 1 III smartphone, a price tag that is roughly equivalent to US$1,303/1,088/945, there is apparently a pre-order bonus involving the highly rated Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds. The Sony.ru website indicates this as a gift simply with a red gift-wrapped icon and the instructions that a pre-order and purchase of the Xperia 1 III need to be made. These headphones cost 14,990 Russian rubles via the official Sony store at the moment (about US$196), so it really is quite a generous offer. The slightly cheaper 6.1-inch Sony Xperia 5 III comes with a special gift too, and unlike the Xperia 1 III, it gives buyers in Russia the option of owning it in either black or green. At 84,990 Russian rubles (US$1,109/925/804), the Xperia 5 III is not really an impulse buy, but it also comes with a free set of headphones. Those who fulfil the terms and conditions will get Sony WF-XB700 earbuds, which are priced at 7,990 Russian rubles (US$104) on the same site. Obviously the high price tags for these phones will soon appear on other Sony country-specific sites but will hopefully also be accompanied by similarly attractive freebies to ease the purchase pain, which Sony has done with past flagship smartphone sales. Buy the Sony WF-1000XM3 or WF-XB700 wireless earbuds on Amazon Two arrests have been made in Charlotte following the murder of two Black transgender women, law enforcement officials said Friday. Dontarius Long, 21, and Joel Brewer, 33, were charged Friday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officials said. Long and Brewer are both accused of murder and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, among other charges, police records show. Our streets are a lot safer, said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings at a news conference announcing the arrests. The police investigation into the shooting deaths of the two women is ongoing, officials said. Multiple police agencies were involved in the murder investigations, including the FBI and police in Union County and in South Carolina. On Thursday, CMPD warned that someone might be targeting local trans women who engage in sex work. Officials said that there has never been a more vulnerable time for them. Jaida Peterson, 29, was discovered in a hotel room at Quality Inn near the airport, on April 4, Easter Sunday. She had been shot, according to CMPD. Her funeral took place Tuesday in South Carolina and loved ones held a vigil last week for her in Charlotte. Eleven days later, police were called to a hotel in University City. At the Sleep Inn, located on North Tryon Street, early Thursday morning, police officers found a 28-year-old transgender woman fatally shot. Social media posts from friends and loved ones identify the second victim as Remy. CMPD officials say her last name is Fennell. She was 28. The Observer has not been able to reach her family as of Friday afternoon. Jaida Peterson was killed in Charlotte. Her sisterhood wants to know: Why? Violence against trans women CMPD spokesman Rob Tufano said Thursday that though it was too early to draw connections in the cases, the similarities were undeniable: Both women were transgender, both were sex workers and both were shot to death and found in hotel rooms. Trans women of color are some of the most vulnerable in the LGBTQ+ community. Sex workers are disproportionately trans women of color many dont have any other options because of the racism, homophobia and transphobia they face. They are more likely to be unemployed, more likely to live in poverty, more likely to be without a college degree, more likely to be incarcerated and more likely to be homeless because of the discrimination they face. Story continues Theyre also more likely to experience violence in their lifetime. According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, more than one in four trans people has faced a bias-driven assault, and rates are higher for trans women and trans people of color. Several LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and activists including Charlotte Uprising, Charlotte Pride, Equality NC and LGBTQ+ Democrats of Mecklenburg County posted messages of support and safety alerts on Thursday and Friday. Charlotte Uprising organizers are fundraising for alternative housing for Black transgender women who presently do not feel safe in hotels. CMPD Lt. Bryan Crum said police detectives are looking into the motive behind the murders and said they will explore whether to pursue hate crime charges, if warranted. Crum, supervisor of the departments Violent Crime Unit, said investigators are looking into how or whether Long and Brewer know each other. On Friday, he said police have evidence the two arrived and left the hotels together and both have ties to Union County. There is also evidence of sexual activity at the scene of the crimes, Crum said, but its still unclear how the suspects connected with the victims. He said police are confident that theyve identified both of the people involved in the crimes and that there are no further risks to the community, but as authorities continue to investigate the crimes, they are looking into other possible victims outside of Charlotte. The work is not done ... Theres a lot of things that we have to look into, Jennings said. Anyone with information related to the case can call 704-432-TIPS or leave information anonymously with Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. In recent years in Charlotte, at least three other trans women have been murdered and in a fourth case, a trans womans cause of death has yet to be determined but police are still investigating. Among these cases, is the unsolved killing of Sherell Faulkner, who died months after being assaulted. She was found critically injured laying near a dumpster in November 2016. Another mysterious case involving the death of a trans woman in Charlotte stems from a missing persons case followed by a house fire, where the body of Bubba Walker was found in 2019. Authorities have not determined whether Walker was murdered or died as a result of the fire. Two trans women murdered in Charlotte hotels. LGBTQ groups, CMPD issue dire warnings. Its scary. Transgender Charlotteans say city has fallen behind on LGBTQ protections CLEARWATER, Fla., April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- (ISC) today announced a one-week extension to the deadline for its global call for speakers related to the 11th annual (ISC)2 Security Congress. Submissions will now be accepted through April 26. What: Geared toward a global audience, (ISC)2 Security Congress focuses on cybersecurity challenges across many regions and provides best-practice sharing, continuing education and networking opportunities for information security professionals. Security Congress 2021 will offer more than 80 educational and thought leadership sessions across nearly 30 tracks, including on such emerging trends as Zero Trust principles, remote workforce security, supply chain security and artificial intelligence, in addition to popular annual topics like cloud security, professional & career development, DevSecOps and healthcare security. When: The new deadline for submissions is April 26, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. (ISC)2 Security Congress 2021 will be held in Orlando, FL from October 18-20, 2021. Where: For more information about (ISC)2's Security Congress and the 2021 speaking requirements, please visit the submission page here. About (ISC) (ISC) is an international nonprofit membership association focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification, (ISC) offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our membership, more than 150,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation The Center for Cyber Safety and Education. For more information on (ISC), visit www.isc2.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn. 2021 (ISC) Inc., (ISC), CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CAP, CSSLP, HCISPP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISSP-ISSMP and CBK are registered marks of (ISC), Inc. Contact: Brian Alberti, Corporate PR Manager 617-510-1540 [email protected] SOURCE (ISC)2 Related Links http://www.isc2.org Two flights from different parts of the country landed March 29 in Winnipeg, each carrying now-confirmed cases of COVID-19. Passengers on both flights had "links to variants of concern." Two flights from different parts of the country landed March 29 in Winnipeg, each carrying now-confirmed cases of COVID-19. Passengers on both flights had "links to variants of concern." One flight was from Vancouver, the other Toronto. Both cities are hotspots for novel coronavirus variants of concern, which are now spreading like wildfire in many parts of the country. Manitoba wont say whether the travellers self-isolated upon return, or whether they spread the virus to anyone else. It won't even confirm which variants were detected. There were eight flights in March that arrived in Winnipeg with COVID-19 cases, and three more thus far in April. Nothing more is known about the cases beyond the minimal amount of information released by the province. What we do know is the percentage of variants of concern related to travel is far higher than it is for overall COVID-19 cases. Almost six per cent of B.1.1.7 variant cases found in Manitoba have been linked to travel. Overall, only 1.2 per cent of new COVID-19 cases are tied to travel. CP One of the affected flights came from Toronto (above), a city that is currently a hotspot for coronavirus variants. (Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press files) With the P.1 variant (first identified in Brazil) now in the province, its time government brought in tighter restrictions for interprovincial travel. Manitoba already requires people who travel for non-essential reasons to self-isolate for 14 days when entering the province. But its loosely enforced, if at all. The province has handed out 14 tickets since March 15 to people who failed to self-isolate, according to provincial data. However, it doesnt specify whether any were linked to travel. There is no evidence the province enforces the 14-day rule. It operates on the honour system. That may have been good enough prior to the arrival of more contagious variants, but not anymore. Manitoba still has about two or three months to go before the majority of people over 18 receive their first dose (of two required) COVID-19 vaccine. If the province could figure out how to shift its immunization program into high gear, 70 per cent of Manitobans could receive a first shot by mid-June, according to Manitoba's low-range projections. If the slow vaccine rollout continues, that may not occur until July. Until then, the province has to rely on public health orders to prevent a major increase in infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths. Ontario is already experiencing record numbers of COVID-19 patients in critical care. If Manitoba doesnt take steps now, it could suffer the same fate. The province has done remarkably well since the Christmas break at reducing infection rates and hospitalizations. The slow and steady lifting of restrictions over the past three months have been measured and well-thought-out. CP Restricting travel is one of the main reasons the Atlantic provinces have kept case counts and death rates below the Canadian average. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files) The evidence shows those measures have worked. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospital has dropped steadily from more than 300 in early January to around 140 over the past two weeks. The provinces test positivity rate fell from above 11 per cent at the beginning of the year to three per cent in early March before climbing again to more than six per cent this week (it was 5.3 per cent Thursday). Manitoba continues to report far fewer new cases than any other province west of New Brunswick. Manitoba reported 103 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people over the past 14 days, well below the national average of 276. Ontario had 332 and Saskatchewan 297. That could change very quickly with the spread of variants of concern (intensive care unit numbers are already inching higher). Manitoba has the chance to get ahead of it now before things get worse. Further restrictions on interprovincial travel, including an outright ban on non-essential travel, should be part of that equation. There is already talk at the national level of imposing some type on interprovincial travel limits. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday he would be in favour of it; British Columbia Premier John Horgan is considering closing that provinces borders. Restricting travel is one of the main reasons the Atlantic provinces have kept case counts and death rates well below the Canadian average. Its time for Manitoba to follow suit. tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca Punk icon Joey Ramone, leader of the groundbreaking band, The Ramones amassed millions over his career but also left behind a trail of treasures and priceless gems currently in the possession of his brother Mickey Leigh. Ramone, whose real name was Jeffrey Ross Hyman, died of lymphoma in April 2001 at age 49. The Ramones became a beacon for the punk movement inspiring other seminal bands. Paul Cook, the drummer from the Sex Pistols recalled how The Ramones trailblazed the punk genre. Ramones was the first so-called punk album, he told The Guardian. It made us think: Wed better crack on here. But the Ramones and the Pistols were different animals, with a different flavour. They were more basic, three-chord rocknroll. Great songs, really catchy, all two and a half minutes long. Dee Dee Ramone, Tommy Ramone, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone |Roberta Bayley/Redferns Joey Ramone lives on through personal artifacts Ramone had a reported net worth of $6 million at the time of his death. But he also left behind priceless gems like the guitar he used to composed many Ramones songs. Also, Ramones signature leather jacket, which became a symbol of the band almost never left his side. Joey wore his leather jacket at home, Ramones former manager Danny Fields told The New York Post. I knew a guy who delivered hamburgers to Joeys apartment, and he told me that Joey would come to the door wearing pajama bottoms and a leather jacket. He wore it in the hospital. For him, I think, the jacket was like a security blankie. RELATED: Grammy Winner T-Pain Reveals How Twitch Became the Schitts Creek of Streaming (Exclusive) Leigh also has his brothers well-known round glasses, which were a nod to John Lennon. At 16 or 17, influenced by John Lennon and Roger McGuinn, he begged my mom to take him to the eye doctor so he could get prescription sunglasses, Leigh recalled. She went along with it. She didnt know he would wear them all the time. But he did. Leigh has items like his brothers passport and high school report card. Im not sure that Joey loved getting on airplanes, but he loved playing out of the country, he said. Early on, at clubs in Connecticut and New Jersey, there would be 12 people and bikers would yell, Play Free Bird! Years later, in Argentina, they were treated like The Beatles. Joey Ramones guitar was auctioned for $71,000 Leigh does not have every guitar Ramone used. In 2015, one of his nine Mosrite guitars was sold at auction for $71,875. The instrument was also autographed, Best always, Johnny Ramone, 5/22/90. One of just nine Mosrite guitars owned by Johnny Ramone known to exist it is not surprising that it was able to achieve such an impressive figure, RR Auction Executive VP Bobby Livingston said in a statement, Rolling Stone reported. RELATED: Britney Spears Is Not a Train Wreck or a Mess Producer Claude Kelly Says Other auction items sold from Ramones estate included another one of his leather jackets ($18,184.80), a pair of his glasses ($12,426.40) and apparently even another old passport ($12,454.80). But Leighs memories are priceless. So I showed him how to play Alice Coopers Im Eighteen on this guitar, he told The Post. But he was left-handed and Im righty. So I told him to just play the lower three strings. Binnion has no access to fresh air, but shes staying positive. She is trying to maintain a sense of optimism and fun by sharing anecdotes on a Facebook group she set up specifically for Melburnians doing hotel quarantine together, exercising and attempting culinary creations. Even though I dont have the most glamorous view Im looking over a BP service station I do get a lot of sunlight which is lucky, she says. Stacey Binnion brings a bit of flair to her supplied hotel quarantine meal at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne airport. The highlight of the day is when they announce meal times on the speaker phone and you don your mask and venture outside to collect your brown paper bag waiting in front of your doorstep. Its the only glimpse of the outside world thats why I often keep the TV on mute, just to have a bit of human activity in the room. Binnion has lived in Paris for six years and hasnt seen her loved ones in Melbourne for 18 months because of the pandemic. She is working remotely for her company back in Paris, where her colleagues are bewildered and fascinated by her accounts of life locked inside a hotel room. Fish and chip dinner at the Holiday Inn quarantine hotel. Its baffling to them this whole situation, she says. Its completely foreign to how France or any European country has been managing the situation. When Binnion returns to France next month, she will only be required to isolate at home for seven days, but its not enforced. Nearly 100,000 people have died with COVID-19 in France since the start of the pandemic, more than 9000 in the past month, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Victorias disastrous second wave of COVID-19 in 2020 was the result of mistakes in hotel quarantine, and led to the first suspension of the program. The scheme was shut down for a second time in mid-February after a new strain of COVID-19 leaked from a quarantine hotel, forcing the government to halt overseas arrivals and leading to a snap five-day lockdown. There are six hotels operating in the new program: The Holiday Inn at Melbourne Airport, The Holiday Inn on Flinders Lane, Novotel Ibis at Melbourne Central, the Pan Pacific at the Convention Centre, the InterContinental on Collins Street and Element Melbourne Richmond. Guests have no choice of hotel or room set-up, and are only told which hotel they are allocated to when they get off the plane at the airport. A spokeswoman for COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria, the government department overseeing the program, says ventilation reviews had ruled against allowing guests to open windows or balcony doors. One of our key improvements has been to make sure all rooms are negatively pressured, which cannot be safely achieved when the room has open windows or a balcony, she said. Residents can apply to have fresh-air breaks for mental health or medical reasons, but only in limited and controlled circumstances. The limited natural light entering Lukes room at the InterContinental Hotel in Melbourne. A government spokeswoman says not all hotels would provide non-disposal cutlery that can be used for the duration of a guests stay especially if the room doesnt have a kitchenette with a sink. Experiences will vary depending on the individual and their accommodation. Luke, a 31-year-old man, who wishes to use only that name owing to the sensitive nature of his work, says he is struggling with his second stint in hotel quarantine after completing a two-week stretch at the Grand Chancellor Hotel in Adelaide last October. Returning from a business trip to Eastern Europe last week, Luke says the contrast with his Adelaide stay is stark. Due to the unusual layout of the InterContinental he cant see the sky and the only sunlight his room gets is from an indoor atrium, but the door to the balcony is bolted shut. In Adelaide, we were given a room that had an open window, where you can physically open the window, he said. The only purpose of the window was for fresh air but I tell you, fresh air in confinement for 14 days, it makes a world of difference. Lunch at the InterContinental Hotel for quarantined returning international air passengers. Luke recommends anyone headed to Melbourne bring vitamin D supplements and refillable water bottles. He says he has repeatedly asked staff for bottles of filtered water, rather than single-serve cups. While he agrees with the need for a hotel quarantine system, he says he would try to quarantine somewhere other than Melbourne where he may get a balcony or opening windows. Im very grateful that I live in a country that enacts these sorts of measures that enable the greater economy to keep going without detrimental consequences on health, but I also feel that there needs to be consideration for the fundamental needs of fresh air and sunlight, he says. Not far from Lukes room, a family of four from Hong Kong is also hitting the halfway mark of their 14-day stay in a dimly lit room at the InterContinental. When we look out the window its just another building. No sun and you cant even tell if its raining, says a woman, who is 21 weeks pregnant with her third child and did not wish to use her real name. Her three- and six-year-old boys are spending their days playing, while the parents hunt online for a home to move into now the family has relocated to Melbourne. For the boys we brought some toys from Hong Kong, so theyre OK, she said. We have a connecting room so the space is big enough we are OK there are three beds and the children can run around. The expectant mother says it took three days for the hotel to provide child-friendly food, with her boys unable to eat the spicy curry-like dishes that were delivered. She says while the staff were kind to her family, providing more toys for the boys and being very gentle during mandatory COVID-19 swabs, there were frustrating protocols, such as a one-delivery-per-week limit on grocery deliveries. A mother-of-two with a brain condition died 10 days after getting her AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. Kimberley Lockwood, from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, died following a 'catastrophic brain bleed' 10 days after having her jab. The 34-year-old suffered from idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a disorder that causes increased fluid pressure around the brain. Though it remains unclear if the jab contributed to the bleed, her husband said Kimberley had been managing the condition with medication and hospital check-ups, but her symptoms worsened a few days after getting her vaccine. Kimberley Lockwood died following a 'catastrophic brain bleed' 10 days after having her jab The mother-of-two had changed her Facebook picture to include a graphic showing she'd had her vaccine WHAT IS INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION? Intracranial hypertension (IH) is the medical term for a build-up of pressure in the brain. This can come on suddenly due to a severe head injury or stroke, which is known as acute IH. Chronic IH is rare. It does not always have a cause but can be triggered by a blood clot on the brain, or a brain tumour or infection. Symptoms can include: Throbbing headache that may be worse in the morning or when coughing but relieved when standing Blurred or double vision Temporary loss of vision, such as 'greying out' for a few seconds Nausea and vomiting Drowsiness and irritability Cases with no obvious cause are called idiopathic IH. This is more common in women in their twenties and thirties. Idiopathic IH has been linked to obesity, chronic kidney disease and lupus. It may also be triggered by hormone problems, an abnormal number of red blood cells and certain drugs, like steroids. This form of the condition is thought to affect two in every 100,000 people in the UK, statistics show. Its US prevalence, and that of chronic IH, is unclear. Treatment usually involves medication to remove excess fluid from the brain. Shunt surgery may also be required to divert this fluid elsewhere. Left untreated, chronic IH can be life-threatening. Idiopathic IH also causes vision loss in one in every five to 20 people if untreated. Source: NHS Advertisement The family are currently awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination. An inquest is also expected to be held. Mrs Lockwood's husband Damien, 41, said his wife the vaccine on March 14 before suffering flu-like symptoms and headaches two days later. He said: 'On March 22 she went to work as normal..but I got a phone call and was told she was getting really bad headaches and her vision was going blurred.' Mr Lockwood said such symptoms were not uncommon in people with IIH and said his wife would require a lumbar puncture, a procedure she'd had multiple times before. But this time Mrs Lockwood's condition quickly deteriorated and that night she decided to go to A&E because her symptoms were concerning her. She was taken to hospital by her brother so that her husband could stay at home and look after the couple's two children, Jayden, 13, and Jax, six. But Mrs Lockwood returned without treatment because she was not able to cope with the long wait alone. Mr Lockwood said: 'They said it was a two-hour wait and she also suffered anxiety. 'I'd thought that she might be okay as she'd had some sleep but she phoned me around 7am to say she had to go back to A&E as she was now vomiting.' When Mrs Lockwood arrived at hospital, a blood test found she had a low platelet count and would require a transfusion of vitamin K. Mrs Lockwood was also told she would need a lumbar puncture the following day. But on March 24 Mr Lockwood received a phone call to say that he would need to come to the hospital to say goodbye because his wife had suffered a 'catastrophic' bleed on the brain and would not survive. Mr Lockwood said: 'The night before I was telling Jayden that she was just having a lumbar puncture and I said: 'Don't worry, she's had it plenty of times before and she'll be out tomorrow'. 'And then the next day I had to tell him [that she wouldn't be coming home].' Mr Lockwood said he hasn't had a chance to 'process' his wife's death because he had to return to work just days later. Mr Lockwood said: 'I'm self-employed so if I don't work I don't make money. Some days it's not too bad and then some days you realise she isn't coming home, which gets you. It's hit everybody hard, it's unbelievable.' Her husband Damien said Kimberley (pictured together), had been managing the condition with medication and hospital check-ups, but her symptoms worsened a few days after getting her vaccine Paying tribute to his wife, Mr Lockwood described her as someone that 'everybody loved' and who would 'light up a room'. Mr Lockwood said: 'We've been together 12 years, I met her in May and by August we were engaged because she was just that sort of person that everyone loved. 'Her main thing was anything for the kids, we're really family-oriented and she loved going away with the family. 'We've had quite a few big, family holidays and that was one of the main reasons she wanted the injection - so she could on family holidays. 'She loved her music too and was one of the first and last on the dance floor at parties - she was really fun-loving.' An online fundraiser to support Mrs Lockwood's children has been launched by a family friend. Flash European lawmakers voted on Thursday in favour of EU-UK trade deal with a recommendation that the European Parliament gives its consent to the agreement. The trade and foreign affairs committees, two key committees in the European Parliament, gave their seal of approval by 108 votes in favour, one against and four abstentions, and recommended that the parliament's plenary approves the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. A date for a final vote to ratify the deal has not yet been set, with the parliament saying in a statement that its Conference of Presidents decided not to set a plenary date "in order to emphasize that the UK side needs to fully implement the Withdrawal Agreement before doing so." EU and UK negotiators agreed on the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on Dec. 24, 2020. To minimize disruption, the agreement has been provisionally applied since Jan. 1, 2021 and will lapse on April 30. For it to enter into force permanently, it requires the parliament's consent. "With today's decision, we welcome the provisions that bind the UK to our current high labor and environmental standards," said Andreas Schieder, the foreign affairs committee rapporteur. "All progress could be lost, if the UK continues to unilaterally breach the Withdrawal Agreement and the Protocol on Northern Ireland," warned Schieder. Death From Blood Clot in Australia Likely Linked to AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine The death of an Australian woman is believed to be connected to her getting AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine, authorities said Friday. The 48-year-old woman was admitted to a hospital with an extensive thromboembolic event, or blood clotting, and thrombocytopenia, or low blood platelet levels, four days after receiving the shot on April 8, according to Australias Vaccine Safety Investigation Group (VSIG). The woman died in the hospital. The group of investigators has concluded that the case is likely linked to the vaccination. The group is a panel of independent experts who advise the Therapeutic Goods Administration. It includes experts in vaccine safety, infectious disease immunology, and other fields. Panel members found the review of the case complicated by the womans underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, but ultimately agreed that the case was consistent with causal association to immunization. An atypical characteristic when compared to other similar events in patients who got AstraZenecas jab is that the woman did not have anti-PF5 antibodies, which activate platelets. Despite the atypical clinical features and the negative antibody test, in the absence of an alternative cause for the clinical syndrome, VSIG believed that a causative link to vaccination should be assumed at this time, the group said in a statement. An AstraZeneca spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email: The safety of all patients is paramount and we are working with regulators to understand the individual cases, epidemiology and possible mechanisms that could explain these extremely rare events. Regulators in the EU and UK as well as the WHO have reaffirmed the vaccine offers a high-level of protection against all severities of COVID-19 and that these benefits continue to far outweigh the risks. The laboratory test results from the patient who died are still pending and an autopsy will be conducted next week. Should either provide an alternative explanation for the death, the vaccine investigation group will review their decision. A medical worker prepares a dose of Oxford/AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Antwerp, Belgium, on March 18, 2021. (Yves Herman/Reuters) Two other patients in Australia have also experienced blood clotting after receiving an AstraZeneca immunization. They are being treated in hospitals and are recovering well, authorities said. Since some 885,000 doses of the UK-based companys jab have been administered in Australia, officials estimate a frequency of clotting of 1 in 295,000. The UKs regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, concluded in its review of clotting cases in Britain that the risk of the clots post-vaccination is approximately 1 in 250,000. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is continuing to review all reports of in-country post-vaccination clots. The overall number of reports received for blood clots following vaccination so far has been no higher than the expected background rate for the more common type of blood clots in Australia. These can occur in around 50 Australians every day separate to vaccination and are not related to the very rare [blood] clotting disorder, authorities said. People who get an AstraZeneca jab should be aware that side effects like fever, fatigue, and headache are expected and not of concern, unless they are severe or persistent. The rare blood clots have occurred between days 4 and 20 post-vaccination and generally require hospitalization because of the symptom severity. People should immediately seek medical attention if they get a shot and experience a few days later a severe or persistent headache or blurred vision, shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain, or unusual skin bruising. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a press conference that federal and state authorities are still probing the death. I think theres a lot more to understand and learn about that issue, and I would caution others in making conclusions on this at that point as well, he said. Post-vaccination clots in AstraZeneca patients triggered a review by the European Unions medical regulator earlier this month. The European Medicines Agency concluded that the vaccine was possibly linked to the clots but advised continued use of the jab, asserting its benefits outweighed the risks, though it advised AstraZeneca to mention rare blood clots as a possible side effect. Rebecca Zhu contributed to this report. Bottom line: The new Timelapse feature comes as part of Google's biggest update to the Google Earth platform since 2017. It compiles satellite imagery from the past 37 years, allowing users on the web to travel back in time and unfold how the planet's surface and environment have changed between 1984 and 2020. From rapid urbanization, melting glaciers, and changing forests to crop circles popping up in the middle of a desert, the tool is meant to educate and inspire action globally for dealing with the challenges of mankind's growing footprint on Earth. Google and Pennsylvania's Carnegie Mellon University have worked together on Google Earth's new Timelapse feature to unfold nearly four decades of planetary change. For what many of us likely used to get a satellite view of our house when it first came out, the tool's biggest update since 2017 arguably makes it much more useful as it now gives a clearer picture of how environmental change has impacted Earth. Google Earth's Director, Rebecca Moore, notes that the creation of the planet-sized timelapse video required significant "pixel crunching" of Google's Earth Engine, the company's cloud platform for geospatial analysis. The data was gathered from over 24 million satellite images and then processed on thousands of machines in Google data centers, taking them over 2 million processing hours to compile 20 petabytes of imagery for creating a single 4.4 terapixel-sized video mosaic. Although Timelapse can be used to observe environmental changes anywhere in the world, Google has organized some of its information across five themes for better understanding. These online guided tours cover Changing Forests, Fragile Beauty, Sources of Energy, Warming Planet, and Urban Expansion. "Visual evidence can cut to the core of the debate in a way that words cannot and communicate complex issues to everyone," notes Rebecca, adding that Google Earth will be updated annually with new Timelapse imagery throughout the next decade in the hope of educating, encouraging discovery and inspiring action for the pressing global issue of climate change. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Strategic Industries Oleh Urusky and Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong have discussed the Ukrainian-Chinese military and technical cooperation. "The parties discussed issues of military and technical cooperation. It was noted that this segment is important for the development of relations between the states. They agreed that Ukrainian-Chinese military and technical cooperation should be developed on the basis of mutual benefit, reads a report released by the deputy prime ministers press service, Ukrinform reports. Urusky informed the ambassador about the formation of a newly created department and plans to reform the Ukrainian defense industry. He also stressed the importance of developing trade and economic cooperation between the countries. "China ranks first in the structure of Ukraine's trade turnover, which is USD 15.42 billion dollars following the results of 2020, he said. In turn, Fan Xianrong noted that Ukraine and China have a solid foundation for deepening bilateral cooperation. In particular, there is the Commission for Cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the People's Republic of China, as well as a number of relevant sectoral subcommissions and working groups. "This potential needs to be developed. The Chinese market is growing dynamically and is open to Ukraine," the diplomat said. The ambassador also stressed that China recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and this position of Beijing remains unchanged. iy After hitting the board five consecutive times heading into todays action, Pammy Jo scored her first victory of 2021 in Thursdays $15,000 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares at Plainridge Park. Pammy Jo (Shawn Gray) left from post four and tucked in behind a hard-charging The Fun Marshall (Bruce Ranger) then remained there for the first half of the race. After a swift :26.1 first quarter and :55.3 half, Gray pulled Pammy Jo at the five-eighths only to be quickly rebuffed back to the pylons by The Fun Marshall, who stepped up the pace again in a :27.3 third panel. After the mares rounded the final turn, Gray pulled Pammy Jo once again and this time went right by the leader. Pammy Jo marched home in :28.3 to post a 2-1/2 length win in 1:52, which was a seasonal mark. Pammy Jo ($2.40) is owned by Jeffrey Epstein, who privately purchased the mare this past January. In the co-featured $15,000 distaff non-winners pace for six-year-olds and under, the 2020 Massachusetts Sire Stake three-year-old pacing filly champion Rys Red Rocket (Matty Athearn) took and early lead before yielding to Maverick Fibre (John Nason) to take the pocket trip. The mare stayed patient until the top of the stretch where she pulled, went by Maverick Fibre and then held off the late closing Rockin Ellie (Bruce Ranger) and Sweet Sue (Jim Hardy) to win by a neck in 1:56.3. Owned by Linwood Higgins and trained by Gretchen Athearn, Rys Red Rocket ($6.40) scored her first win of 2021 in her first attempt of the year. The second fastest mile of the day was registered by Roll With Dom (Ron Cushing) after he cleared past the quarter and then led the rest of the way en route to a 2-3/4 length win in 1:52.3, which was a new lifetime mark. Roll With Dom ($2.60) is owned by the Ed Hart Stable, Tamms Horse Farm LLC and Sweeney Downs LLC and is trained by Heidi Gibbs. Driver Bruce Ranger had a huge day in the bike, winning five races on the card. Ranger scored with Frills N Lace (1:56.2, $3.20), Mach Me Onemore (1:56.1, $2.60), Hired Luck (1:55.1, $6.80), Royalty Again (1:54.3, $14.20) and Major Ted (1:57.3, $9.00). After two days of action, Ranger is the dash leading driver of young Plainridge meet. Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. (Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts) Highlights Realme 8 5G is arriving in India on April 22, a day after the Thailand launch. Realme 8 5G is going to come with a 90Hz display with punch-hole. Realme recently launched the 8 series in India but both phones were 4G. Realme 8 5G is coming to India on April 22. The 5G variant of the Realme 8 is going to be a lot more powerful in terms of performance and battery. Realme has sent media invites for the launch and it, as usual, is going to be an online-only one. The India launch of the Realme 8 5G will take place a day after its debut, which is happening in Thailand. And that is why we know the key features of the Realme 8 5G. "2021 is going to be the year for 5G enabled smartphones," Realme said in the invite. This is going to be the crux for Realme's upcoming phones. This year, Oppo offshoot is likely planning a big push into the 5G market even though there is no provision to access that in India. Realme is hoping to launch 5G phones for as low as possible. Take the Realme Narzo 30 Pro, for example. It is the most affordable 5G phone in India, priced at Rs 16,999. Realme 8 5G price Rumours are rife that the Realme 8 5G will come to markets for around Rs 21,000. If this price turns out true, the phone is going to cost a bit higher than the Realme X7. But there will be discernible differences between the X7 and the 8 5G -- and the 8 4G and 8 5G, for that matter. Realme 8 5G specifications Realme 8 5G specifications have leaked abundantly. But ahead of the launch, Realme dropped a few key things about the phone to create the hype around the 8 5G. So, the Realme 8 5G is going to be the first smartphone with the MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G chipset. This chipset is fabbed on the 7nm architecture and is claimed to offer better performance. Another thing that we know is that the Realme 8 5G will come with a 6.5-inch 90Hz display. But this display is going to be an LCD, not AMOLED. And that is where you will have to make the trade-off. The Realme X7 and Realme 8 have an AMOLED screen but without a high refresh rate. Keeping the lights on the Realme 8 5G will be a 5000mAh battery with 18W fast charging. Some reports suggest the Realme 8 5G is a rebranded version of the Realme V13 5G, which the company announced in the Chinese market earlier this year. As such, the Realme 8 5G will have three cameras on the back, including a 48-megapixel main camera and two 2-megapixel auxiliary sensors. For selfies, there is going to be an 8-megapixel selfie camera inside the punch-hole setup on the display. The Realme 8 5G launch is only a few days away, so let us see what the phone packs inside as and when it comes out originally in Thailand. The company completed three holes for a total of 1,482 metres, resulting in a successful first-pass test of a new target area west of the Fraser Lake Complex. Priority nickel sulphide targets have been defined for the next phase of drilling. 's ( ) first phase 2021 drilling campaign at Lynn Lake Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Sulphide Project in Manitoba Province, Canada, has intersected favourable host rocks and extensive indications of magmatic nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation. The company completed three holes for a total of 1,482 metres, resulting in a successful first-pass test of a new target area west of the Fraser Lake Complex (FLC). Drilling has also confirmed MobileMTs effectiveness in identifying areas most favourable for magmatic nickel-copper-cobalt sulphides at Lynn Lake. Similar size to Lynn Lake mining centre Corazon managing director Brett Smith said: The aerial MobileMT geophysics identified a large area of conductance, previously not recognised as prospective for nickel-copper sulphides. Our first round of drilling in this area intersected the right rocks and some good magmatic sulphides that enhances the potential of the target area. Now, with the detailing of Downhole Electromagnetic Geophysical Survey (DHEM) conductors of a good size, that support the MobileMT interpretations, we have expectations that this large conductive trend to the west of the Fraser Lake Complex has the makings of a nickel-copper sulphide target area similar in size to the Lynn Lake mining centre. Hole #24 drill target Hole #24 was the first-pass test of the MobileMT conductive trend and intersected good widths of favourable gabbroic rocks, with strong indications of magmatic sulphides. The area tested was strongly sheared, indicating long-lived tectonic activity. A small zone of strong sulphide mineralisation interested by the hole was nickel poor, did not generate any in-hole conductance from DHEM and is believed to be the result of remobilisation of sulphide along faulting/shearing. The company believes this sulphide mineralisation is potentially related to the pipe-like/fault-controlled conductive trend identified by the small conductors 24A, 24B and 24C. Conductor 24D is more representative of the size of a mineralised body being tested for at this site, and at a size of 96 metres by 56 metres, it supports the MobileMT anomaly and provides a definitive drill target for the area. Holes #26 and #29 Hole #26 trended off-target and the DHEM of this hole failed to identify any conductors of note but due to the hole's deviation, this area has yet to be adequately tested and follow-up work is required. Hole #29 tested the strong South Pipe conductor around two kilometres south from holes #24 and #26. Results from this drilling are generally inconclusive, however, the company believes the South Pipe area remains very prospective and additional work is required to advance this target. The target model for the South Pipe is the high-grade EL Deposit in the Mining Centre. Notably, the high-grade nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide breccia intersected at depth (the EL Deeps discovery - 2011) could not be detected using DHEM from drill holes close by, despite displaying in-hole DHEM conductance. Hole #23 and #18 Hole #23 is one of the three holes that have tested the area west of the FLC within defined high-conductance trends identified by the MobileMT. Two off-hole DHEM conductors have been defined, the largest of which is 84 metres in strike and is traced to at least 287 metres in depth extents. These conductors are on the southern margin of the MoibleMT conductive trend, striking in line with a high priority MobileMT target, north of hole #23, that has yet to be drill tested. Hole #18 drilled in 2018 targeted a magnetic anomaly west of the Matrix Trend and the new DHEM completed on this hole has identified three off-hole conductors and one in-hole conductor. Conductors 18A and 18C represent good magmatic nickel-copper sulphide targets. DHEM ongoing With drilling now complete, Corazon is conducting a DHEM program of holes on this phase and previous phases of drilling. DHEM will more accurately define conductive bodies close to drill holes, within larger areas of anomalism defined by the aerial surveys. To date, DHEM has been completed on five holes and identified 10 new conductors of substantial size - which may represent sulphide bodies. These anomalies will be priority targets for the next phase of drilling and underpins the potential for the entire conductive trend, identified by MobileMT, to the west of the FLC. Ecuador will continue to grow and export bananas, since no infectious fungus dangerous for fruits has been discovered in the country, Ricardo Falla, the country's trade commissioner in Moscow, told Sputnik on Friday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th April, 2021) Ecuador will continue to grow and export bananas, since no infectious fungus dangerous for fruits has been discovered in the country, Ricardo Falla, the country's trade commissioner in Moscow, told Sputnik on Friday. Multiple media reported on the risks of disruptions in the banana supplies due to a highly infectious soil fungus Tropical Race 4 (TR4). The fungus was previously found in Asia and Australia, but has now spread to several South American countries main exporters of bananas. Some crop areas in Colombia and Honduras have already been closed. "Ecuador will continue to grow and export bananas. This is concerning the supplier's side. We do not think that prices will rise," he said in response to the question whether disruptions should be expected. Falla stressed that the Ecuadorian Ministry of Agriculture found no evidence that the fungus Fusarium TR4 has spread in the country. However, the government has strengthened control and biosecurity measures at the border with Peru amid reports that Lima confirmed the threat of the soil infection on its territory. His job, which involves ordering cardboard, tape and other supplies, did not make him eligible to cast a ballot. But when the company offered VOTE NO pins, he gladly put one on his safety vest. The unions job is not to keep you it is to keep everybody, he said he had told colleagues. If you are looking for the individual help, it will not be there. J.C. Thompson, 43, said he believed a commitment by management to improve the workplace over the next 100 days, a promise made during the companys campaign. He had joined other anti-union workers in pushing Amazon to better train employees and to educate managers on anti-bias techniques. Were going to do everything that we can to address those issues, Mr. Thompson said. He appeared with Ms. Johnson at the Amazon event. Pastor George Matthews of New Life Interfaith Ministries said numerous members of his congregation worked at the warehouse, just a few miles away, and had expressed gratitude for the job. But he was still surprised and disappointed that more did not vote to unionize, even in the traditionally anti-union South, given how hard they described the work. In talking with congregants, Mr. Matthews said, he has come to believe that workers were too scared to push for more and risk what they have. You dont want to turn over the proverbial apple cart because those apples are sweet larger than the apples I had before so you dont mess with it, he said. The statement in question had been distributed widely for nearly a week before a spokeswoman for States Attorney Kim Foxxs office on Thursday said that while the facts stated in court were correct, the prosecutor, Assistant States Attorney James Murphy, should not have phrased them in a way that could imply Toledo was armed at the exact moment he was shot. 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. SAGINAW, MI Longtime MLive reporter Bob Johnson has been named news leader for the The Saginaw News and The Bay City Times. Johnson, 44, was appointed interim news leader in February 2021, following the death of his predecessor, veteran journalist Eric English. Johnson is a Saginaw native and Delta College alumnus. I am honored to lead a team of great journalists who work hard to keep our communities informed, Johnson said. I look forward to our team telling the great stories in our area and reporting on the issues that affect our communities. Johnson graduated from Delta College with a degree in electronic media broadcasting in 2010 and started an internship with The Saginaw News that same year. Johnson then worked part time as a reporter covering a variety of beats, including community, crime and government, until he was hired as a full-time reporter covering education a few years later. He was named Best Writer and won an award for best feature story in the 2014 Michigan Associated Press Media Editors competition. In 2019, Johnson joined MLives statewide Trending team before returning to the local Saginaw/Bay City news team last year. Johnson is an active community volunteer and currently serves on the boards of First Ward Community Services, Public Libraries of Saginaw, Saginaw Area Fireworks, Positive Results Downtown and The Bridge Center, formerly the Bridge Center for Racial Harmony. He also serves as vice president of print for the Flint/Saginaw chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. Bob is an excellent choice to lead our Saginaw and Bay City newsrooms, said John Hiner, vice president of content for MLive Media Group. He has worked hard to grow as a journalist over the last 10 years, but hes also made MLive a better news organization because of his experience and knowledge of Saginaw. Im excited for him to have this opportunity. Read more on MLive: MLive Media Group wins 51 AP awards for 2020 coverage Saginaw Arts & Sciences Academy ranks in 90th percentile in country on 2020 list Saginaws iconic beans bunny sign coming down, making way for new school athletic complex Longtime MLive reporter Roberto Acosta named news leader for The Flint Journal G M Breweries announced that with a view to contain the resurging corona virus, Govt. of Maharashtra has ordered the closure of all shops selling non-essential commodities, including liquor outlets throughout the state till 30 April 2021. Even though the manufacturing plant of the company is operational, the closure of retail outlets is likely to have some impact on the sales of the company during the month of April 2021. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vietnam's newly-appointed Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan is determined to boost sustainable development in the Mekong Delta, improve the lives of the regions farmers, and market its products under an internationally recognized global brand. In a recent discussion with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Minister Hoan, who was ratified by the National Assembly on April 8, shared that his goal is to create responsible agriculture in Vietnams Mekong Delta. According to Hoan, the expansion of the countrys agriculture sector may not be a strong indicator of income growth and quality-of-life improvements for Vietnamese farmers. Can we truly understand the lives of famers and their financial situations simply by looking at what the agriculture industry has achieved? Hoan questioned. Sustainable farming During his tenure, Hoan hopes to create a balance between agricultural growth and the quality of life for famers while simultaneously managing the social and environmental impacts of development on farming. In order to do this, his ministry plans to take a holistic approach to improving the agriculture sector, including considering the role of healthcare and environmental protection costs in developing sustainable farming. The agricultural industry should not be forced to ignore the environment, ecosystem, and public health in order to meet its growth targets, he said, adding that the industrys chase for high crop yields forces it to abuse chemical fertilizers and plant protection agents, which endangers public health and hurts the image of local brands. Other problems noted by Hoan include the lack of updated market information and a loose connection between supply and demand which has led to wasted products or forced authorities to launch rescue the famers campaigns. Such campaigns call on individuals and enterprises to purchase overproduced crops, such as the watermelons, purple onions, and oranges grown in Quang Ngai, Soc Trang, and Tuyen Quang Provinces, respectively. Do not just exhort but give support In the past few years, weve managed to create a link between farm producers and investors in order to bring agriculture products to a wide variety of markets," Minister Hoan said. "Now its time to shift such a link to a value chain that ensures sustainable development." In a value chain, farm produce is classified and preliminarily processed before being supplied to markets. This generates more jobs for workers and more income for farmers by creating preliminary treatment, preservation, and processing activities. The uptick in revenue puts more money in farmers pockets, meaning fewer feel being forced to move to urban areas in search of more lucrative employment. Regarding the role his ministry hopes to play in his vision for the industry, Hoan explained that government agencies at all levels should focus less on encouragement and more on educating farmers on agricultural economics in order for them to better understand the changing market. Hoan also plans to focus his ministry on creating more outlets for both fresh and processed farming products. If the outlets are stagnant, production will come to a standstill, he said. The agriculture sector has long believed that the creation of outlets for farm produce falls under the responsibility of other industries and specialized agencies. Such thinking must change and market solutions must be included from the beginning of any agricultural product development plan. A global 'Mekong Delta' brand Regarding the challenges that climate change and limited infrastructure pose to agriculture, Hoan declared the first step in overcoming these obstacles is to push the sector toward a nature-based production model. Such a switch will be based on Government Resolution 120, which is centered on the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta in response to climate change, Minister Hoan explained. After famers have been educated on agricultural economics, they will begin to understand higher produce quality, as opposed to higher yields, can provide hefty long-term benefits and pave the way for strong brands, reputations, and profits. At the same time, the industry must adopt an ecosystem-based development strategy which satisfactorily resolves the issue of promoting agricultural production on the basis of adaptation to climate change, the minister said. Such adaptation includes not only boosting infrastructural development but also adjusting agricultural thinking and operation systems on both provincial and district levels throughout the delta. Doing so, Hoan further explained,will help the Mekong Delta transform into a global brand capable of surviving climate change and other likely challenges. Clean agriculture Minister Hoans primary focuses for his tenure rely on the idea of responsible agriculture agricultural development that does not abuse chemical fertilizers and plant protection agents. He shared that he once asked farmers in Dong Thap Province whether or not they overused chemical fertilizers and plant protection agents in farming production and they just chuckled in response. The practices of two-bed vegetables" one bed of clean vegetables for growers to eat and the other, fed with chemical fertilizers and plant protection agents, for sale and two-cage pigs, one cage of clean swine for breeders and the other, bred with weight gain or leanness-enhancing agents, for sale, are still common in certain areas across the country. He also blamed excessively intensive farming of up to three paddy crops per year for gradual farmland deterioration because the practice requires farmers to use more chemical fertilizers and plant protection agents. As such, the practice has harmful long-term impacts on both human health and the land, water, and air. The Mekong Delta, which has 13 administrative units, including a centrally-run city (Can Tho) and 12 provinces, covers 40,547.2km and has a total population of over 17.2 million people, accounting for 13 percent of Vietnams area and nearly 18 percent of the countrys population, the General Statistics Office of Vietnam reported in 2019. According to the Planning Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the delta accounts for about 40 percent of Vietnams total value of agricultural production. The corresponding proportions of rice, fisheries, and fruit output are 50, 65 and 70 percent. The region also makes up 90 percent of the countrys total rice exports. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Silicon Valley is a powerhouse when it comes to crafting technology to an even advanced mode. People regarded it as a haven for several startups and global technology firms such as Facebook, Google, Apple. This time around, you can now go on-board San Francisco Bay Area through a convenient Apple Card. Upon hearing this thing, you can now say no to the physical tapping system in every kind of public transit through your smartphone and even your smartwatch. Silicon Valley Made Transit Paying Easier Through Apple-Supported Clipper Card Silicon Valley's on-transit card will now support Apple Pay starting Thursday, Apr.15. Moreover, you can now also access its mobile app so you can manage your Clipper cards in your iPhone and Apple watch easily, Metropolitan Transportation Commission stated. In particular, if you have any of the two Apple products, you can now enjoy riding transit systems on the 24 Bay Area through your Clipper card. This is a promising system wherein you can now pay on trains, buses, and even ferries without contacting your device. If you want to use a Clipper card in your Apple device, you could first add it through your Apple Wallet. By this time, you can load money with the help of Apple Pay anytime you want. Moreover, you can also transfer the amount from your Clipper card to your device. You can begin exploring this in May when its mobile app arrives in Google Pay. Also, with the addition of Express Mode, it's now easier to pay for public transit using Clipper. Express Mode does not issue the riders to undergo screening anymore like Touch ID, Face ID, and even unlocking or opening the app. The step is pretty easy. You only need to hold your Apple devices near the Clipper app when you are about to land on a train or a bus. This also means that you will no longer reload the card or even get a ticket from a vending machine. "The last year has taught us the importance of contactless fare payment, and this is one more way Clipper is delivering on that promise," MTC Chair Alfredo Pedroza spoke. Pedroza added that with the launch of Clipper on iPhone and Apple Watch, all will benefit from its convenience and safety while traveling. At the moment, you can now download the new Clipper app on your iPhone so you can get hold of your Clipper cards easily in your Clipper account. If you are already enrolled in the START program of Clipper, you can use the app but if you are paying through cash, there is a thing that you should know. For this case, you might use either of the three: Golden Gate Ferry, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), or Smart Ticket Machine. Furthermore, you can also choose Caltrain ticket machines to load value in your Apple Watch or iPhone. Reminders That You Should Know Before Using Clipper The Verge reported that there is a catch before considering using your Clipper Card. First, you need to remember that it only works on one device, and simultaneously sharing it with other iPhones or Apple Watches will not happen. If you want to use it on other devices, you could utilize two Clipper cards which also support other kinds of passes besides cash. Also, your old iPhone version will not be able to run it so you need iPhone 8 or later version.In Apple Watch, you need to have Watch Series 3 or later Watch OS version. After accomplishing this, you cannot use your physical Clipper card anymore to pay for your transit. For more information about this, visit clippercard.com(link is external) or transit.applepay.apple/san-francisco(link is external). Related Article: REPORT: Hackers Break into 150,000 Silicon Valley Security Cameras Exposing Jails, Hospitals, and Even Tesla! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joen Coronel 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Watch: Estonian MP joins parliamentary debate while vaping in bed An Estonian MP has epitomised the "charm and pain of remote work" after being spotted laid back on his bed, vaping and listening to music while remotely attending a parliamentary debate. Tarmo Kruusimae, an MP of the centre-right Isamaa party, was seen reclining in bed vaping when it was his turn to ask a question during a debate. It appears he did not know it was his turn to ask a question and so when the stream automatically connected to his computer he was shown unaware everyone could see he was relaxing. Kruusimae told local Celebrity magazine Kroonika: "This is the charm and pain of remote work. He added if he knew it was his turn to speak he would have worn a proper shirt and the background would have been different. Watch: Hilarious moment Texas lawyer appears with cat filter before judge on Zoom Read more: 'Burnt toast' argument for keeping windows open to tackle COVID Before entering politics, Kruusimae was in a string of punk rock bands, which could explain his penchant for music. The adjustment to primarily working from home for many professions hasn't been an easy one. Many have struggled to maintain their professionalism while in the same space they relax, others have struggled to adapt technological needs of a Zoom-based working life. A Texan lawyer went viral in February after accidentally putting a cat filter on their webcam, making them appear like a talking cat while attending a remote district court meeting. He was forced to say "I'm not a cat!" while his assistant tried to fix the issue. Others have been able brush off their mishaps. Watch: Vicar leads livestreamed church service with a Blues Brothers filter on his face after Zoom blunder A vicar in Warwick who was giving a virtual Easter church service accidentally did the whole recital with a Blues Brother filter over his face, putting him in a stylish pair of shades and a fedora. Reverend Vaughan Roberts joked at the time: "At least it wasn't Rambo or the Godfather." He assured everyone it was a one-off and would not be virtually dressing up for any more recitals. BRIDGEPORT As area Muslims observe Ramadan this year, they are also celebrating the in-person fellowship absent not just from 2020s holy month but the past year the coronavirus pandemic kept people apart. Everyone is happy, said Imam Mohamed Abdelati of the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center on State Street. The people are excited because they didnt come last year. This is the first time in our life to have something like this and not to go to the mosque during Ramadan. It was very tough for everyone. Ramadan which this year lasts from April 12 to May 12 is marked by fasting, worship and charity with an emphasis on large prayer gatherings and festive meals. The global COVID-19 health crisis struck Connecticut in March 2020, shuttering businesses, canceling events and forcing the public to stay home as much as possible to stop the illnesss spread. Faith organizations in general were forced to adapt and offer on-line services to members. And the sudden sense of isolation at the time was particularly acute for major faiths Muslims, Jews and Christians that, respectively, celebrate Ramadan, Passover and Easter in the spring. With more and more people getting vaccinated, Gov. Ned Lamont in March reduced some of the pandemic-related health restrictions, including eliminating capacity limits on houses of worship. But the need to take precautions wearing masks and staying six feet apart remains, and social distancing rules means full capacity is not really full capacity. Dr. Khaled Elleithy, president of the Bridgeport Islamic Community Centers Board, said the facility formerly the United Congregational Church is large enough to accommodate 800 to 900 people. Currently, we can go up to maybe 300 in keeping the social distancing, Elleithy said. The facility itself has different prayer rooms. But, he added, the live-streaming will remain for those who could not come. When the Islamic center moved into the landmark congregational church in 2017, its members pledged to continue the latters tradition of community outreach. And the members have kept that promise, particularly during the pandemic. Elleithy said the food pantry has been serving more than 90 families a week: We never stopped the food pantry during the pandemic. It continued and its very busy as usual. And, Abdelati said, the center also last month hosted coronavirus vaccinations for people ages 45 and older, with the second shots scheduled for this month. There is almost 100 people that got vaccinated, Abdelati said. While health officials in Bridgeport, state and nationwide have been working to convince skeptics in the Black and Hispanic communities to get inoculated, Elleithy said he has not experienced much hesitation among his congregants. There is not many people who are reluctant to get vaccinated, Elleithy said. So next Ramadan there may be even more to celebrate. We hope by the end of the year we have more normal activities and people can gather and do more, he said. NRI businessman and Lulu group chairman M A Yusuff Ali, who had a miraculous escape on April 11 after his helicopter crash-landed on marshy land here, has undergone a spinal surgery at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, the company said. It said Yusuff Ali underwent the surgery at Burjeel Hospital in on Tuesday. "An expert team of 25 doctors led by renowned German neurosurgeon Prof Dr Shawarbi performed the surgery and Yusuff Ali is recovering well in the hospital," the said in the statement issued last night. The Gulf-based Indian businessman, who suffered injuries in the crash-landing, had returned to on Monday by a special aircraft sent by the Royal Family there. Yusuff Ali, his wife, two other passengers and two pilots were shifted to a hospital here immediately after their helicopter crash-landed on marshy land amid heavy rain on April 11. The incident occurred at Panangad at around 9 AM while Yusuff Ali was on a short trip from his home in Kochi to visit a relative at a nearby hospital. Ali's Abu Dhabi-based that owns Lulu Hypermarkets and shopping malls, is one of the top retailers in the Middle East and North African region (MENA). It has more than 200 Hypermarkets and Supermarkets in Gulf countries, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, and employs over 58,000 people from various countries and has logistics centres in the US, the UK, Spain, South Africa, the Philippines and Thailand. Yusuff Ali, billed as the most influential Indian in the Middle East, was recently ranked in the Forbes Billionaires list 2021 as the richest Indian in the Middle East. (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 demand set construction back for more than two years, delays the developer said cost as much as $30 million, and left tenants living in a work site frozen in time. A stop-work order was issued, and an investigation found evidence of tenant harassment, prompting a hearing that dragged on until the end of December. That is when the developers unexpectedly revealed a document they had found in city archives that exempted the hotel from needing the certification at all. Days later, the department dropped the case. Tenants like Ms. Martin who supported the investigation were stunned. An agency that is supposed to protect us from harassment dropped the case right at the end of the trial, she said. This could happen to anybody in the city if it happened to us. The tenants association (which is in favor of the renovation) was angry that work had stopped in the first place, blaming the city and their vocal neighbors for pursuing what they saw as a frivolous case. It was a disgrace, said Zoe Pappas, 68, the president of the tenants association, which represents 30 residents living in 20 apartments. The developers see the abrupt end of the case as evidence that this was all just a delay tactic. What was the point? said Mr. Drukier, an owner of BD Hotels, which bought the Chelsea in 2016 for $250 million. We were trying to finish a building that had already been under construction for quite a few years. The housing department did find evidence of harassment, but it declined to disclose any more information. While this particular legal challenge has been withdrawn, the city has a broad range of tools to protect New Yorkers from harassment, Anthony Proia, a department spokesman, said in a statement. Now that the workers are back, so, too, are the complaints from the tenants who supported the harassment case. Water has been running only cold again. Sometimes, it runs brown too. Susan and Jonathan Berg, who live on the 10th floor, have been disturbed by incessant noise from ventilation fans on the roof. And construction dust keeps blowing into Ms. Martins apartment. Its a different level of awfulness, she said. Washington, April 16 : Pfizer Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said people will likely need a third dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine within 12 months of getting fully inoculated. Bourla told CNBC News on Thursday that it is possible people will need to get vaccinated against the coronavirus annually, reports Xinhua news agency. "We need to see what would be the sequence, and for how often we need to do that, that remains to be seen," he told CNBC. "A likely scenario is that there will be likely a need for a third dose, somewhere between six and 12 months and then from there, there will be an annual re-vaccination, but all of that needs to be confirmed. And again, the variants will play a key role," he said. Pfizer said earlier this month that its Covid-19 vaccine was more than 91 per cent effective at protecting against the coronavirus, and more than 95 per cent effective against severe disease up to six months after the second dose. The data was based on more than 12,000 vaccinated participants. Researchers are still working on how long protection against the virus lasts once individuals has been fully vaccinated. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Depending on who is counting, the Alamo attracts between 1.5 million and 3 million visitors every year. Our citys economy counts on it. The COVID-19 pandemic aside, we can bank on millions of tourists to visit the Alamo and leave our city delighted from the River Walk and theme parks. The tourists will come regardless of whether or not the Cenotaph remains where it is, whether we dig 16 inches for a split-level plaza, block it off or leave it open, close the street or let cars through. Visitors are drawn to the Alamo story, not the building or Alamo Plaza. Weve been stuck in a tug of war over the Alamo redesign for too long. Weve been caught in spats between Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Land Commissioner George P. Bush, between the Texas Historical Commission and the Alamo Citizen Advisory Committee, between long-term vision and expediency. The City Councils vote to move ahead with the latest redesign plan gets us unstuck. Its not a perfect plan, but perfection wasnt a possibility because weve been talking past each other. One side has argued the merits of redesigning a tourist attraction, while the other is concerned with the story told. Many people feel underwhelmed when they visit the Alamo because they thought it was bigger. Thats not the Alamos fault. The church is an old, small building, and no amount of money can change that. But the expectation is epic, fed by a larger-than-life myth of independent spirit and sacrifice. It lives in Texas lore and in the visitors imagination. Its the reason visitors keep coming to walk in the mythical cradle of Texas independence. But a myth is a story with good guys and bad guys. It needs villains to prop up the heroes. The Alamo martyrs require a villain to define their sacrifice and legitimize Texan identity. The heroes are a blur between Davy Crockett and John Wayne, Jim Bowie and Richard Widmark while the villains are generic Mexicans and, by association, Mexican Americans, who make up 64.2 percent of San Antonios population. This is the part of the argument that a physical redesign doesnt address. Its a heavy burden to serve tourists while also serving as the villains who support the myth of Texan identity. Apparently we do it well because the visitors keep coming. The myth of the 13 days in February and March 1836 could use a hefty dose of context. The Alamo siege should be understood with the backdrop of Jacksonian expansionism and antebellum tensions, the rush to populate an expanding chessboard of slave and nonslave states. It should include the story of the original people who lived here before the Spanish friars established the church that became the shrine where they, too, are buried. It should include the story of our Mexican ancestors who bequeathed their heritage and culture. The problem for some is that the myth will crumble under the weight of context. The tourists will come regardless of what we do with the plaza. What matters is the story theyre told once they get here. The key to telling an authentic Alamo story is in controlling the space where its told. The plan approved by the council does that by retaining control of the plazas lease. The preservation of the Alamo building is the states concern. Our concern now is to shed light on the 13 days of history that have left a scar across centuries with heroes on one side and villains on the other. The tourists will keep coming. Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales represents District 5. Three vials of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are pictured in a new coronavirus, COVID-19, vaccination center at the Velodrome-Stadium in Berlin, Germany, on Feb. 17, 2021. (The Canadian Press/AP/Michael Sohn, pool) Ottawa Sending Help to Ontario as Pfizer Vaccine Supply Bolstered by 8 Million Doses Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says more doses of COVID-19 vaccines are coming soon from Pfizer-BioNTech, and the federal government will deploy the Canadian Red Cross to help Ontario with their mobile vaccination teams. Trudeau announced Friday a contract with Pfizer for an additional eight million doses of their vaccine, hours after Canada said its incoming supply from Moderna would be slashed in half through the rest of April. As Ontario reports record-high COVID cases, Trudeau said the federal government will provide more relief to the province, including deploying mobile health units in Toronto and Hamilton. Health-care equipment including oxygen units and drugs to treat COVID will also be sent, the Prime Minister said. Procurement Minister Anita Anand says the first four million of the new eight million Pfizer doses will arrive in May, with two million more coming in June and July, respectively. She said Pfizer is also moving another 400,000 doses from the third quarter into June. Canadas initial shipment of approximately 300,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also arrive during the week of April 27, Anand said, to be delivered to the provinces at the beginning of May. The increased Pfizer doses help offset another production delay from Moderna. Anand said earlier Friday that Moderna will ship 650,000 doses of its vaccine by the end of the month, instead of the expected 1.2 million. Anand said in a statement that Moderna advised Canada the limited supply is due to a slower than anticipated ramp up of production capacity. The company also told Canada that one to two million doses of the 12.3 million scheduled for delivery in the second quarter may be delayed until the third quarter. We are disappointed, and while we understand the challenges facing suppliers in the current global market for vaccines, our government will continue to press Moderna to fulfil its commitments, Anand said in a statement. Moderna said in a statement there has been a shortfall in estimated doses from the European supply chain, and that it will be making adjustments to expected delivery quantities in a number of countries, including Canada. With over 4 million acres having burned so far this year in California, we have not had any major fires in Santa Barbara County. But with all the hot weather we have had and no rain in months, we are still in danger. President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden will hold their first in-person next month in Washington, D.C., Cheong Wa Dae confirmed Friday. EPA-Yonhap By Jung Da-min The denuclearization of North Korea is expected to top the agenda during the first summit between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden, which will be held late next month, a Cheong Wa Dae official said Friday. The two heads of state are also expected to address strained relations between South Korea and Japan and discuss how to deal with an assertive China in the Indo-Pacific region. Earlier in the day, the presidential office confirmed a White House announcement made hours previously that President Moon will travel to Washington, D.C. in late May at Biden's invitation. Cheong Wa Dae said the summit is expected to focus on how to handle North Korea's denuclearization under the new U.S. administration. The Biden government is now in the final stages of its policy review on the Kim Jong-un regime. "President Moon's visit to the United States will take place around the time when the results of the U.S. government's policy review on North Korea will be announced, so it will serve as an opportunity for South Korea and the U.S. to work together from the beginning to the end of the review of the policy," the official told reporters. The summit between Moon and Biden will come about a month after the meeting between Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga set for Friday (local time) in Washington, D.C. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a press briefing Thursday that a prominent issue during the summit would be regional security, including the countries' joint commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea and how to approach China with shared coordination and cooperation. But what's drawing more attention is the messages Washington will give to Seoul and Tokyo, both allies of the U.S., as ties between the two have worsened over their wartime history, trade and Tokyo's recent decision to discharge contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. A senior U.S. official told reporters Thursday that Biden wants to discuss the deterioration of relations between South Korea and Japan during his first in-person summit with Suga. "It is concerning to us, even to the point of being painful for us, to see relations between Japan and South Korea fall to the current level. The political tensions are such that we believe it actually impedes all of our abilities to be effective in Northeast Asia, and I think the president will want to discuss this in some detail with Prime Minister Suga," the official said. Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae and the White House showed differences in their choices of words on the issue of denuclearization talks with North Korea. While Cheong Wa Dae chose to use "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the White House kept using "denuclearization of North Korea." Regarding the issue, Psaki said Washington is concerned about the intentions of the North Korean leadership. Some North Korea watchers said the Biden administration is concerned that Pyongyang could use the term, "the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," as a pretext for arms reduction talks. Cheong Wa Dae said Moon and Biden would also discuss cooperation on a wide range of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, how to boost their economies as well as the climate crisis. "The Biden administration has announced its plans to boost infrastructure spending and is reviewing the supply chain of four key materials semiconductors, batteries, rare earth elements and pharmaceuticals and has been in consultation with South Korea on how the countries could cooperate in those fields," said the Cheong Wa Dae official. Loading You dont go to these prison diaries for anecdote, though, of course, its fascinating not least given antiwar positions that this warrior-like Catholic conservative who reveres Churchills speeches lets drop Bobby was my favourite Kennedy, whom I met on Capitol Hill full of Irish-American charm and respectful of a young Aussie priest. When he was shot my love affair with America was over. It returned, but changed. David Marr said to me once, without rancour, that he thought Pell had the temperament to be a first-class headmaster and its a bit amazing to see a man of such natural authority wrestling with his God and his wretchedness. Its Richter (who is not a theist but Jewish, the Cardinal reminds himself) who tells him to read the Book of Job, that blackest and most tragic book in the Hebrew Bible. When Pell does revisit it, he argues for the superiority of the Christian vision of redemption compared to the Jewish conception of human identity disappearing as a cloud dissolves when it goes down to Sheol. This is par for the course and so is his description of the Book of Ecclesiastes (vanity of vanities the silver cord is loosed and the golden bowl is broken) as the most pagan book in the Bible. This is not incompatible with the tough cleaner-up of Vatican finances or the unyielding bishop who refused communion to those rainbow-sashed gay activists. What does hit the heart strangely is this kind of thing: God give me strength and peace of mind and help my fellow prisoners, especially those who are bad or disturbed or desperately unhappy. We expect to cop the Pell who believes in judgment and damnation and the churchs God-given right and duty to preach traditional morality, including what should and should not be done in the bedroom. But we dont expect this kind of prayerfulness or rigour, this implicit compassion. Each of the daily journal entries of some thousands of words ends with a prayer of Pells own composition or a quotation of his breviary or from some spiritual classic. So we get Augustines yearning to look into the eyes of the most High: Hide not your face from me. Let me see your face even if I die, lest I die with longing to see it. And Thomas Mores prayer: To think my most enemies, my best friends; for the brethren of Joseph could never have done him so much good with their love and favour as they did him with their malice and hatred. Loading There is a constant emphasis on mercy and forgiveness, even though these journals are the work of a naturally forceful man who is both politically and religiously conservative. He says, eloquently enough, God will forgive any crime and adds, not unconvincingly: If Christianity continues to decline, society will be less forgiving. Hes sometimes inclined to sound like a high and mighty Catholic version of Israel Folau (A decent man of simple Christian faith, an old-type Protestant) and admits starting the Christian defence of freedom of speech and freedom of religion with Folau is not ideal. But he does want to argue that the promiscuities of sexual liberation are not on. For some of his co-religionists including those masters of the manners of the world, the Jesuits Pell probably represents the challenging paradox of how to tolerate the intolerant. He thinks that Donald Trump is a barbarian but hes our barbarian: though Trumps election makes him as opposed to the direct election of an Australian president as he was back at the Constitutional Convention in 1998 when he was a republican of the minimalist Turnbull-Keating variety. On the other hand, he sees little to rejoice at in nominally Catholic politicians. The selective and superficial Catholicism of politicians like Daniel Andrews, and Malcolm Turnbull, to some extent, even helps them implement their un-Christian ambitions. The Trudeaus also come to mind. Pell is nothing if not militant in his moralism and hes also an enthusiast for Bob Santamaria and Robert Menzies, even though he liked Bob Hawke as a politician with a Labor heart and a Liberal head and admits that we owe our current prosperity to Hawke and Keating. He says of Hawke that he loved Australia and much is forgiven him because he loved much. All of this pales compared to the horror of losing his appeal in Victoria. I was astonished and badly upset, he writes. Its fascinating to learn that his appeal barrister, Bret Walker SC, asked his permission to show the draft of the appeal to Tom Hughes, and that Hughes, brother-in-law of Robert the art critic and father-in-law of Malcolm Turnbull, had offered to appear for Pell, though the man who was attorney-general for John Gorton must have been 95 at the time. Fascinating, too, that Marr said to Frank Brennan during the Victorian appeal that the presentation of the prosecution case was a f---ing train wreck. These journals have a thousand facets. The Cardinal and his close associates take a dim view of the progressivist German bishops with their liberal attitudes to faith and morals, in the news earlier this year for initiating a two-year series of talks on what The Wall Street Journal describes as rethinking church teaching and practice on topics including homosexuality, priestly celibacy and the ordination of women. And the Australian prince of the church who supports Brexit takes the dimmest possible view of Vatican financial corruption, which he did everything in his power to clean up. Popes dreaded interviews At the end of volume II of the prison journals, there is an implicit criticism of Pope Francis: The Holy Father has given an interview once again on his return flight from Japan. The journalists love these encounters (they have told me so) but I and many others dread them. If he sometimes sounds in his diaries half-inclined to justify the burning of heretics, thats part of his general bullishness. Marcia Gay Harden has apologized for a remark that was thought to be a dig at Judi Dench, insisting she was 'misinterpreted.' Two decades ago Marcia, 61, won the best supporting actress Oscar for Pollock and beat out a category that included Judi, 86. In a recent Vulture interview Marcia theorized that one of her competitors 'wasn't so happy' about the results and her interviewer deduced she meant Judi. Side by side: Marcia Gay Harden (left) has apologized for a remark that was thought to be a dig at Judi Dench (left), insisting she was 'misinterpreted' Marcia's competitors that Oscar night were Judi for Chocolat, Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand for Almost Famous and Julie Walters for Billy Elliott. Judi plays an daffy old landlady in Chocolat while Marcia won her Oscar for portraying Jackson Pollock's wife and fellow painter Lee Krasner. She dished to Vulture that 'I felt the girls were really happy for me as well. There was one I will not mention - but it wasnt Kate - who seemingly wasnt so happy.' As the interview tried to narrow her down to an answer by process of elimination Marcia added that it was not Julie Walters either. History: Two decades ago Marcia, 61, won the best supporting actress Oscar for Pollock (in which she is pictured) and triumphed over a category that included Judi, 86 'And Im friends with Frances McDormand. There you go,' said Marcia leaving her interview to conclude: 'So, Judi Dench.' However Marcia graciously insisted that 'I dont want to say anything negative about anybody, honestly. It was my perception that somebody wasnt so happy, but you never know what people have going on.' After the remark went viral Marcia found herself posting an Instagram apology for the interview quote this Tuesday. 'I am deeply sorry': After the remark went viral Marcia found herself posting an Instagram apology for the interview quote this Tuesday 'In a recent interview, one of my answers that related to Dame Judith Dench was misinterpreted,' she wrote in her statement. 'I have never met Ms. Dench - though if I had, I am certain I would have found her to be as generous and supportive as she is respected. I am deeply sorry for anything that would have led anyone to think otherwise,' she added. Two years before Marcia won best supporting actress Judi scooped up the same award for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare In Love. Remember when: Judi plays a daffy old landlady in Chocolat (pictured) while Marcia won her Oscar for portraying Jackson Pollock's wife and fellow painter Lee Krasner She was previously nominated for best actress for playing Queen Victoria in the 1997 movie Mrs. Brown opposite Billy Connolly. Since then Judi has been nominated for best actress four times by way of the films Iris, Mrs. Henderson Presents, Notes On A Scandal and Philomena. In the documentary Tea With The Dames she was candid about the role that nerves play in her work saying: 'Fear is petrol.' The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, speaks to PREMIUM TIMES on the raging controversies about his alleged previous views on Islamic extremism and recent retracted news publication that he was on a U.S. watchlist. Excerpts: PT: There was a recent publication alleging that you were on U.S. watchlist over your views on terrorism and terrorists. Although the reports have now been retracted by those who published it, have you ever had any suspicion that you were being watched for anything? Pantami: Thank you for meeting me for this interview. Firstly, I hardly grant interview. Some issues were drawn to my attention. I contacted my lawyer, and he is working on it. So, because of this, I will only respond to specific issues. Certain issues are legal issues which I believe the lawyers are in the better position to handle. Secondly, I try to give audience to media that are trying to be very objective, and this is what professionalism is all about. We should try to be objective, to check our facts clearly, and to give fair hearing and enough time to people we are reporting on to respond. So when you discover that people are trying to follow that, they may have their weaknesses as human beings, you try to respond to them and answer such questions that are brought before you. Based on the question you have asked and to the best of my knowledge, this has never happened to me. I have travelled widely, globally. There is no single country that has denied me visa. In Europe, I travelled to many countries. In these few years. I was in Spain, not more than once; I was France, more than once; I was in Germany, more than once; I was in Hungary, at least once; I was in the United Kingdom, many times. In Asia, I travelled to countries like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and many more. In Africa, I travelled to many countries. In America, I travelled to the U.S. From 2016 to date, I travelled to America more than 10 times. Maybe some of these issues were concocted from certain lectures we presented. Some of the lectures were even more than 15 to 20 years old. All of these countries that I have visited know more than all that the people are mentioning. And I am sorry to tell you, all that they have been spreading is probably because they do not understand the context in which the lectures were presented. Usually, all the lectures they mentioned were presented around 1998, 1999, 2000. The most recent could be around 2006, which is also 15 years ago. Most of them were firstly, academic lectures from Islamic perspective, and we were presenting the lectures in order to calm our youth that were being recruited to join extremism. So, in the course of doing that, I came up with an approach. That approach was to be presenting lectures about international movements, explain the concept to them, and show them that our situation is not even the same with their own. If some people in Afghanistan with Taliban were fighting because they were booted out of their country, who booted you out of Nigeria whether you a Muslim, a Christian or you dont have a religion? Each and everyone is going to live in his country, nobody is sending you away in your country. You need to understand the context in which the presentations were made. As I said, it was an academic exercise in Islamic perspective. When you are making a presentation from Islamic perspective, it is not your personal opinion. Sometimes, while preaching at times, when I mention something in the Koran, I will smile and people will ask me what happened, and I will say, because the verse hits me, because I do not comply with the teaching of the verse as a human being. The position of religion is not, in any way, your personal opinion. When I sit down here to read the Koran, if you say what I mention in the Koran is my opinion, you are not fair to me. It is verdict of religion. If a Christian sits down in the church to preach reading the Bible, dont say what he says is his opinion, he is reading the Holy Bible. Why? Because people gathered there are to listen to what he is saying. So, most of them do not understand the context in which the lectures were presented. For example, if the President of the U.S. was addressing military while sending them for a war in Libya or Iraq, if you dont understand the context, you will say he is harsh. I hope you understand me. So you need to understand the context in which the statement was made. I presented over 150 lectures mobilising youths to stay away from extremism. Some will just go and edit and just compile five minutes, six minutes out of 150 lectures, each one, the minimum is one hour, and maximum is one hour, thirty minutes. If you compile all, you will discover that it is over 200 hours lectures. Where is the remaining? If you want to do anything, write everything from A to Z and, secondly, understand the context. Religious context is not personal opinion; it is a religious context. PT: During your experiences trying to obtain visas while visiting these countries you mentioned, did you have any suspicion that you were a man under watch? Pantami: I could not see anything like that. I will give you evidence here with me, just for your eyes. At least I obtained the U.S. visa probably three to four times. One will expire, you apply for another. Even the one I applied for last, they asked for information which I provided. Look at their reply (he showed reporters an email evidence) . You can see the e-mail from the embassy saying okay, you can go ahead to submit your passport for the visa. So there is no any issue. I dont have any issue. I have been travelling there. For example, in 2017, I was in the U.S. attending consumer electronic show. In 2018, I was there attending consumer electronic show. And I was in Seattle based on the invitation of Microsoft, and in 2019 I was also there attending consumer electronic show. And I was also in Harvard University where I attended a training as well. And I also travelled to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a visit, where we have a partnership with them representing Nigeria and government, and many more. These were between 2017 and end of 2019. Its not even far, and the lectures they are even making reference to, the academic lectures, most of them are more than 15 to 16 years, while the traveling I am making reference to is not more than one to two years. So, what is there? PT: So you currently have a valid U.S. visa? ADVERTISEMENT Pantami: No, I dont have. It expired within this period (of the coronavirus pandemic). You know because of lockdown, most of my visas expired. But I never applied for any visa and I was not given. PT: You lived in the U.K. for some years. Were you preaching when you were there? Pantami: I preached in the United Kingdom. I was not only preaching, I was the Chief Imam of Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, and the British government knew about me very well, because when they were conducting research on religion in Nigeria, they used to come to me purposely for interviews, the way you came here. They interviewed me through their institutions more than 10 times. I was even asking them how they knew about me and they said, we have followed all through your information. So they even discovered me and they have been contacting me to interview me. And at the time I was presenting the lectures which some people are cutting which I couldnt get time to listen to because of Ramadan period and I am busy with engagements. Based on what my attention was drawn to, they are lectures of 90s and early 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 or thereabout. While I was doing that, many students were dismissed from the university. I attended Government Secondary School, Gombe. During my studies, some were dismissed because of extremism. I was not one of them. In Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, I was not dismissed, but during my stay, many were dismissed. In fact, when I graduated, my university even asked me to come back and lecture there. So, throughout my life, either in Nigeria, in the U.K. or any other country, nobody has ever dismissed me as a student or as an employee. It has never happened to me. And I have never been invited anywhere by security based on any allegation against me anywhere in the world. Even in Nigeria. PT: When you heard about the news of you being on watchlist, did you not have any apprehension that compel you to contact U.S. authorities, including their embassy in Nigeria, for any clarification? Pantami: You know as a government appointee, and at this level, if you say you are going to be intimidated by everything, then you cannot do the work. You cannot do the work. I was with the Minister of Foreign Affairs this week, on April 12. I was with the minister. I was with the ambassadors of the U.K., the U.S., South Korea, and many other countries. We had an official meeting with them. We explained to them, even the wisdom behind the National Identity Number. One of the representatives of the development agencies said your work is excellent, but you should be patient, you will encounter many attacks. This was said to me in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He said you answered all our issues convincingly based on the wisdom and usage of NIN number, because criminals do not like it, criminals do not like it. Even this issue that we are talking about, based on our findings, preliminary investigation, many people are not happy with what we have been doing linking National Identification Number with SIM. Because a situation will come that all the people using SIM to commit crime will not be able to do that. If they do that government will be able to intercept them easily. This is what they dont want to happen. And this is a mandate given to me by President Muhammadu Buhari. He personally signed the letter that you are mandated to do that. As his appointee, I should either do it or say I cannot. So, since I am willing to serve my country, I must continue to do it to the best of my ability. So, in my meeting with them, they even encouraged me to push it and make it very successful. PT: You said you were the Chief Imam at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland (U.K.).It means you were preaching at least every Friday. Was there any concern raised either by any student or the university authorities? Pantami: If there was any concern, I should have been invited. Nobody has ever invited me either from the university, or from the Aberdeen Council or from Scotland government or from the United Kingdom government. At all, nobody has ever invited me. I have never been invited anywhere to answer any question. And not only that, I travelled to other places for Islamic lectures. I used to travel to Newcastle. The lecture is online, and it is against extremism. I was in Leeds University for an Islamic lecture. It is available online. I was in Leicester for a lecture on good governance from Islamic perspective. All these were lectures that would bring thousands to the audience. Before or after the lectures I have never been invited by any other person. PT: You also worked and lived in Saudi Arabia, what was your experience there? Were you also preaching there? Pantami: In Saudi Arabia, I was one of the two Imams leading prayers in our faculty within the university. And you know how Saudi Arabia is very hard against extremism. You know this. I have never been invited by any person for questioning or for querying. Throughout my stay in Saudi Arabia. Not only that, I sometimes used to help in translating at the Holy mosque. If you go online you will find some of them in Hausa language for Hausa audience. So, throughout my stay there, there wasnt any problem. PT: What is your view about extremism, about people who claim to be Muslims and are involved in extremism? Pantami: Based on my understanding of Islam, there are three categories of people. One, there is laxity. Two, there is moderation, and thirdly, there is extremism. Throughout my life, Im more attached to moderation. If it is laxity, they wont even pray. That is why if you go to some places they will ask you, are you a practising Muslim? I am a practising Muslim, I pray five daily prayers. I fast in the month of Ramadan, and I try to do the best I can to follow the injunction of Islam. Im not perfect but I always try to do what is good, because if you understand the teachings of Islam in their proper context, you wont disagree with me that Islam is the most peaceful religion that you can ever get. Most of the interpretations of the verses by these people is nothing but misconception without clear understanding of what the Koran says. Extremism is when people go to the extreme end in their understanding of the Koran, and in their interpretation of the teachings of the Prophet. They usually translate verses through reading the words without going through history to know what the revelation was, the reason for the revelations in that verse. And that is the point I started with, if you want to do justice to somebody, look at the context in which statements were made. For example, many countries may be angry with Nigeria because our constitution in Section 33 even agrees with capital punishment. Many countries will say this is extremism because it is in the constitution. In the Koran, you see capital punishment. The position of Islam and the position of the constitution is not my position as a human being. If I mention that this is the position of the Koran, if I say this is the position of the constitution, I am not saying this is my personal opinion. The position of the constitution is superior to my position. The position of the Koran is superior to my position. So, if you want to know me, ask me about my personal opinion. But if you ask me what the Koran says, I can tell you; what the constitution says, I will tell you. For example, today I recognise the immunity in the constitution immunity for some elected officials. But at a personal level, I am agitating for the taking away of immunity. This is an example. But if I am appointed into government, I must respect that, because it is there as a law. So, that is why it is always important to draw the line of demarcation between personal opinion and Islamic perspective. For instance, this is my Koran, it is time for Ramadan and I am going for Tafsir. If I go, it is not my personal opinion I will tell the congregation. In the morning, I was attending Federal Executive Council meeting, and all my contributions were based on our laws and policies in government. But if you go to the mosque and sit down and open it (the Koran), it is no more my personal opinion. People there are not gathered there because you are a government appointee, they are there because you are a Muslim, and you will teach them Islam. So, you must tell them what the religion says. And in my teaching of religion, I am always moderate. This is my position, and throughout history, there wasnt anytime, that I personally communicated with any extreme leader through phone, or through email or through sending any contribution to anybody. But those who lived with me in the North-east part of the country will tell you all my engagements were physical with people, to even argue with them. At the time people were afraid, we were able to be physical and say, okay, let us come and debate. We argued and we debated, and these debates were recorded. And because of this, many people abandoned their ideology of extremism. Many people! Today, here, I can give you over hundred people that rejected extremism because of my preaching. I will give you more than 1,000. At Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, as students, many of them left the university, but because of my teaching they returned and completed their studies. And some of them are now engineers. If you go to Maiduguri, there are many, that even at the peak of that issue, the University of Maiduguri used to invite me to come and preach to their students to continue their studies. And I would be hosted by the university administration on campus to come and preach. So, in the course of preaching, you always try to be moderate and be very objective. So, dont quote something out of context. Some will quote something out of context, some will distort it. Somebody even called me today that he said he heard a voice (on tape). He said he had been with me for many years, and knew that was not my voice. He said that somebody said it was my voice and that I was the one talking, but that when he told the person that it was not me, the person believed because he knew that we were close. So, look at the extent that people can go to fight government policy that is good for all. The persons said, I listened to it, it was not your voice. And this is somebody who has been with me since 1978. We grew up together. And he said, it is not your voice. People can go to any extent. You are in the media, if you say you will publish all rubbish, then you will also be in problem. You have to do investigation critically to justify whatever you say. And you cannot judge someone who presented over 200-hour lectures by just bringing five seconds, seven seconds, 10 seconds without knowing the introduction, the genesis, the academic presentation, the Islamic position and many more. So, you cannot be fair to him. But despite all of these things, we are not intimidated. They cannot in any way prevent us from doing any thing we think is good for our country. PT: What about publications that were said to have linked you to extremist views? Pantami: If it is a publication, it is an academic work. The best way to reply is through academic research. I am a researcher. I publish many papers in international journals. Whoever writes, usually, it is his opinion, based on the information available at his disposal. It is not a divinity, it is not a law. You are only expressing the outcome of your research and that research can be right and can be wrong. In the same journal you will discover two articles that are not on the same line one is for, and one is against. It is an argument. Anything that is an academic research, we can make a research to invalidate it. We can do that. We have sufficient data at our disposal. Because if someone can write based on secondary data, the one who has primary data like my humble self with primary data will invalidate any secondary data, because primary data is the most reliable foundation that you can use in your research. So, I have primary data, for over 30 years about all that we have discussed here. PT: The platform that originated the story of you being on watch list has since retracted it. Have you forgiven them? Pantami: I think this issue is not with me, it is with my lawyers. Any legal issue, since Im not a lawyer, I hardly rely on my personal opinion. You consult lawyers, and whatever they say, usually, you comply. We are always encouraged to consult experts in the area for advice. Usually, the decision of my lawyer is 99 per cent my decision, because it is based on trust. They are representing us. It is a huge commitment from them. All of them retracted what they have published and they apologised. But all the same, they (the issues) will be coming up from time to time, because it is inevitable. Even the president, it was done to him before. He just made a statement in Hausa, and they started quoting it somehow, and said he said dogs and the baboons will be soaked in blood. The Vice President made a statement and they quoted it anyhow. That is normal. They are normal in life and it is not only in Nigeria. Trump told our president and said Christians are being killed in Nigeria. The president asked him, who told you? So, such negative news is inevitable. If you are in position of power, people who dont like the government or the policies of government will try to continue to attack you either directly or indirectly. But what is most important is to make sure that what you are doing is right. PT: Why are you suggesting that the publications and other comments about you are because of the NIN registration policy of the government? Pantami: I have no doubt about this. It has to do with the National Identification Number. Do you know one thing? This policy was started in 2011, it was not successful. Why? It was fought. PT: By who? Pantami: You have to try and investigate as a journalist. In 2015, it came up, it was not successful. In 2018 there was a time that there were meetings between government and mobile network operators. And it was actually announced that by the agreement with government, the deadline was January 2018. It is there online, I will share it with you if you like. By January 2018, it was not implemented, because there are forces against it. There are forces! Now they have started coming with the news that people are coming from neighbouring countries to register. What they fail to understand is that the National Identification Number is not only for Nigerians; anybody in Nigeria can obtain it. Section 16 and 17 of the Act mention the registrable people in the country citizens, legal residents, legal permanent residents, and legal residents for a minimum of two years. So, it is not only for citizens. And it is also important to know that this is not just an indication that they are citizens of Nigeria. It is rather an indication that you presented your biometric data, so government has control over your data. And that data of NIMC (National Identity Management Commission), nobody has an access to it in any way he likes. Getting access to it illegally is 10 years in prison. It is there in the law. But people will like to discredit it, because they dont like it. As long as it is implemented by government, it will go a long way in reducing crime and based on the statistics we have been seeing now, its really encouraging. As government, our priority is the protection of lives and property of our citizens. Security is our priority as a government whether in agric, digital economy, education or in health, in whatever. President Muhammadu Buahari is so passionate about security, and he directed me to do that because he knows I try to persevere despite challenges and do what is right in the interest of our citizens and humanity. PT: Will you be going to the U.S. anytime soon? Pantami: Usually I travel officially. When there is official need to travel, why not? If the president says, you are part of this, go and do this, why should I say no? There is no place in the world that I cannot go. And you will not have any fear if it is the U.S.? Let me ask you a question, today if you travel to Saudi Arabia, is there any issue? No issue. So what is the issue? In the whole world, there is no place I cannot go today. Dont mention one or two countries. Ask me if there is any country in the world that I cannot go to. There is no country in the world Isa cannot travel to. Whether it is in Asia or Africa or in Australia, or in North America, or in South America. Anywhere! There is no country I cannot travel to, because I travel widely, and I have never been invited by security even once. And I have never been denied entrance into any country or deported. It has never happened to me, and I have lived in many countries. A total of 1,185 people lost their lives in India due to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. While these are the official numbers, the number of those go unreported or dying after recovering from COVID-19 is much higher. The sheer number of bodies that are brought to crematoriums and cremation grounds across the country is ample proof of the devastation the second wave of COVID-19 is causing. BCCL Crematoriums overwhelmed At many places, the crematoriums have been overwhelmed by the high number of bodies they receive every day, which is beyond their capacity. As the infection continues to claim more lives, in Bengaluru, the civic body on Thursday decided to designate seven of the total 12 crematoriums exclusively for those who succumbed to the disease. The circular was issued by Bengaluru civic body's Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta amid growing complaints over delays in cremations and lengthening queues at cremation grounds. BCCL According to this circular, the crematoriums at Medi Agrahara in Yelahanka, Kudlu near Bommanahalli, Kengeri (RR Nagar-Yeshwantpur Road), Panathuru in Mahadevpura, Sumanhalli in Kengeri, Peenya in Dasarahalli, and Banashanakri in south divisions will function from 8 am to 8 pm. Each crematorium has two furnaces and both will be dedicated for Covid related cases, the circular stated. Apart from this, the Bengaluru civic body has also decided to use Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company's (Bescom) helpline number (1912) to assist Covid related queries. BCCL "Residents of Bengaluru can call 1912 to contact the helpline, if they have any queries related to testing, vaccination or medical advice," the statement said. The number can also be contacted for direct assistance with blocking hospital beds or admission, obtaining beds in Covid Care Centres, besides availing the ambulance service or support in case of home isolation. This new helpline number is in addition to the Karnataka government's state-wide Aptamithra helpline, which is also dedicated to COVID-19 assistance and can be accessed by calling 14410. Apart from these, the helpline for obtaining ambulance services can also be called at 108. Soaps have done their best to reflect real life during the pandemic. Characters wear masks, there are NHS posters on display, and vaccinations get discussed. Understandably, they had to ignore the most recent closure of pubs since residents spend 90 per cent of their lives in one. Another area where theyre reflecting real life is with job losses. Karen has been axed from the launderette in EastEnders and, this week, Emmerdales Matty becomes surplus to requirements at The Woolpack. But the real wonder is that anyone employs them in the first place. Theyre the worst workers ever! Staff at Underworld in Corrie seem to spend the whole working day going on cake runs, while family members drop in for chats and arguments. In this week's EastEnders, Linda (pictured left) becomes suspicious of Nancy's (pictured right) desperation to track down a mystery package As for the Slaters cleaning company in Walford, is it me or does Jean just dust the same section of bar at The Vic over and over again? If theyre not being lazy theyll end up bonking the boss, as we saw recently with Belle and then Gabby in Emmerdale, both bedding Jamie Tate. Im going on my break, is the catchphrase of every soap worker. EASTENDERS: NANCY UP TO NO GOOD? When anyone returns to Albert Square after a long absence its rarely for a good reason and, if her shifty behaviour is anything to go by, I think we can assume that Nancy Carter has something to hide. Shes distracted, bad-tempered, not interested in her little brother, and desperate to track down a mystery package, which makes Linda (pictured, left, with Nancy) suspicious. Kush and Whitney Walfords answer to Bonnie and Clyde make the decision to go on the run with Arthur in tow. Kush promises Martin they will return as soon as the Mitchells have calmed down. So, never then. Will they make it to Dubai or will Gray, Phil or someone else get to them first? Karens flat is ransacked by loan sharks although, frankly, its hard to imagine how that place could look any worse. It makes her realise she desperately needs money. She could stop boozing in The Vic and living off fried chicken from McKlunkys but, instead, toys with the idea of being a surrogate for Rainie and Stuart. As if having those two as parents wasnt bad enough, the poor child will come into the world reeking of chardonnay and cigarettes. CORONATION STREET: FIZ FEELS FLAT Fiz discovers Tyrone has booked a posh hotel for him and unlikely new love Alina (pictured left, with Fiz and Tyrone) in Coronation Street The speed at which Tyrone has gone from docile, loyal partner to lying lothario has been breathtaking even by Weatherfield standards. This week Fiz discovers hes booked a posh hotel for him and unlikely new love Alina, dashing all hope of saving their relationship. Poor Fiz, a bag of chips and a bunch of manky flowers from Devs was the best she ever got. Then Tyrones departure causes Hopes behaviour to deteriorate and she attacks Joseph. Elsewhere Craig decides to jack in his police job rather than break up with Faye. Who will investigate Weatherfield crimes if he does? He appears to be the only copper in town. Not wanting Craig to ruin his career, Faye pips him to the post and dumps him. But will they be able to resist temptation? Rita is surprised to see a blast from the past in the Kabin Sharon Bentley, her former foster daughter. Shes nominated Rita for a Golden Heart Award in recognition of her fostering. Its 22 years since we last saw Sharon and its great to have the brilliant Tracie Bennett back. Last time Sharon was on the cobbles, she sold The Kabin that Rita had gifted to her, forcing Rita to buy it back. Jenny and Gemmas attempt to send Sharon packing is thwarted by Rita who says everyone deserves a second chance. Oh Rita, you thought that about Dennis Tanner too and look how that turned out. EMMERDALE: VINNYS BIG GAMBLE Mandy worries Vinny (pictured) will become addicted to gambling following a big win on the horses in Emmerdale Sorting through Pauls possessions, Vinny finds a notebook containing his dads record of his gambling wins and losses and his tips. Vinny places a bet on the horses and has a big win, leaving Mandy to worry hell end up addicted like his dad. To take their financial woes off Vinnys shoulders, Mandy hatches a plan with Mack. Oh dear Mandys plans are more disastrous than an Emmerdale wedding. When Ethans mum fails to show for their meeting, he turns to Manpreet for support. Dont worry Ethan, your long-lost mum will turn up eventually they always do. A top official said only a few grams an hour of uranium gas would be enriched up to 60% purity triple the level it once did but at a quantity far lower than what the Islamic Republic could produce. Iran also is enriching at an above-ground facility at its Natanz nuclear site already visited by international inspectors, not deep within its underground halls hardened to withstand airstrikes. A POSCO flag stands alongside a Korean flag at the main gate of the steelmaker's headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul in this undated photo. Korea Times file By Yi Whan-woo POSCO announced Friday that its affiliate, POSCO C&C, will terminate a joint venture with a firm backed by the military in Myanmar. The world's fifth-largest steelmaker has been under fire for its business ties with Myanmar's military junta that seized power in February. POSCO has claimed that the joint venture, Myanmar POSCO C&C (MPCC), is its only link to the military junta. Coated and color steel manufacturer, POSCO C&C, has been running MPCC since 2013 with Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL), one of the Southeast Asian country's military-controlled conglomerates. "We will end the joint venture with MEHL, as issues (concerning the military coup) have been raised recently," POSCO C&C said in a statement delivered by POSCO. POSCO C&C has a 70 percent stake and MEHL has a 30 percent stake, respectively, in MPCC. The Korean firm did not specify how it will end the venture, saying it will continue to disclose related issues. "We hope that our steel business will continue to contribute to improving Myanmar's residential environment and revitalizing the economy," POSCO C&C added. MEHL is among the Myanmar military entities sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom. POSCO has repeatedly said that it has not paid dividends to MEHL since the Rohingya crisis. In late August 2017, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya were forced to flee their homes in Myanmar's Rakhine region and escape to Bangladesh, following armed attacks, arson and mob violence, triggering a major refugee crisis. The Korean steelmaker has a total of five businesses in Myanmar, including a gas field, a hotel, a rice-processing factory and a trading company, all run by its trading arm, POSCO International. The gas project has been disputed as well, as it includes Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), a state-run company in a consortium of six international companies led by POSCO. The project off the coast of Shwe, located 500 kilometers away from Myanmar's capital of Naypyidaw, is the most profitable among the five. It posted sales of $623 million in 2020, accounting for 86 percent of POSCO International's total sales in Myanmar. POSCO has argued that all POSCO International-managed businesses were in operation for 20 years before the coup was staged in February, when the democratically-elected government was overthrown. Afghan leaders were convinced that the new American President would be a better ally, who would not immediately withdraw the troops that have helped keep the Taliban at bay and out of major cities. Since the Afghan government and the Taliban began peace talks in Qatar late last year, fighting between them has surged, along with civilian casualties. On Wednesday, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan reported that in the first three months of the year there were 573 civilians killed and 1210 wounded, a 29 per cent increase over the same period in 2020. More than 40,000 civilians have been killed since the start of the war. Loading Over two decades, the US mission evolved from hunting terrorists to helping the government build the institutions of a functioning government, dismantle the Taliban and empower women. But the US and Afghan militaries were never able to effectively destroy the Taliban, allowing the insurgents to stage a comeback. The Taliban never recognised Afghanistans democratic government. And they appear closer than ever to achieving the goal of their insurgency: to return to power and establish a government based on their extremist view of Islam. Women would be most at risk under Taliban rule. When the group controlled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, it banned women from taking most jobs or receiving educations and practically made them prisoners in their own homes. It is too early to comment on the subject. We need to know much more, said Fatima Gailani, an Afghan government negotiator who is involved in the continuing peace talks with the Taliban. One thing is certain: It is about time that we learn how to rely on ourselves. Women of Afghanistan are totally different now. They are a force in our country; no one can deny them their rights or status. Afghanistans shaky democracy propped up by billions of American dollars has given way to an educated urban class that includes women such as Gailani. Many of them were born in Afghanistan in the 1990s and came of age during the US occupation of the country. Now these women are journalists, part of civil society and members of government. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video In the countryside, by contrast, fighting, poverty and oppression remain regular parts of life. Despite the challenges, residents found some comfort in knowing that Afghan forces, backed by the U.S. military, were keeping the peace at least in some areas. Loading Haji Abdul Samad, 52, a pomegranate farmer from the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, has been displaced from his home for two months because of the heavy fighting there. I am too tired of my life; we are now in a position to beg, Samad said. The Americans are responsible for the troubles, hardships that we are going through. Now they are going to leave with their troops, with no peace, no progress. They just want to leave their war behind. Fears about the future are as palpable in the presidential palace in Kabul as they are in far-flung corners of the country. And people across Afghanistan are confused about who will soon be in charge. The Taliban have repeatedly called for President Ashraf Ghani to step down to make way for an interim government, or most likely, their own. Ghani has refused, instead pushing for elections but also opening the door to more fighting and a potential civil war. The peace talks in Qatar have faltered, and the Taliban have all but backed out of proposed talks in Turkey. Ghani will be increasingly isolated. Power brokers see every one of his moves as designed to keep himself and his deputies at the helm, said Torek Farhadi, an adviser to former President Hamid Karzai. Reality is, free and fair elections are not possible in the country amid war. In fact, it could fuel more violence. As US and Australian troops prepare to leave and fractures form in the Afghan government, militias controlled by powerful local warlords are once more rising to prominence and attacking government forces. The withdrawal will undoubtedly be a massive blow to morale for the Afghan security forces, spread across the country at hundreds of checkpoints, inside bases and along violent front lines. For years, the U.S. presence has meant that US air power, if needed, was nearby. But since the Trump administrations deal with the Taliban, those airstrikes have become much less frequent, occurring only in the most dire of situations. Without military support, Afghan government troops are up against a Taliban enemy who is frequently more experienced and better equipped than the average foot soldier. The history of Afghanistan has been one of foreign invasion and withdrawal: the British in the 19th century and the Soviets in the 20th. After each invasion, the country underwent a period of infighting and civil war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as an energy war. "This is an energy war. Same as any other war, you can't fight without unity. Someone will lose for sure. If the construction of Nord Stream 2 is finalized, Ukraine will not be the only loser. [...] You have to remember that this is not about business, a matter of business of Europe and Russia. No, this is a matter of war," Zelensky said in an interview with the French media outlet Le Figaro published on the presidential website on Friday. This is a hybrid war similar to the gas, energy, food and vaccine wars waged earlier, he said. As for the Nord Stream 2 prospects, Zelensky said, "There are two factors. The first one is the United States. The second is the unity of European nations. I believe that the U.S. policy of sanctions will help Ukraine, and I appreciate that. Their stance is open. Positions of European countries differ. Russia is taking advantage of that." ANOTHER bank looks set to close in Limericks main street after KBC outlined plans to exit the Irish market. The Belgian lender opened a hub at 103 OConnell Street in 2013, creating 25 new jobs in the process. However, this Friday morning, the business announced it is in talks about the possible sale of its performing loan assets and liabilities to the Bank of Ireland. The firm said the deal, if coupled with a separate sale of its non-performing mortgage loan portfolio, would pave the way for its withdrawal from the Irish market. KBC first arrived on these shores in 1978 after it acquired a majority of Irish Intercontinental. KBC Bank Ireland chief executive Peter Roebben said that the bank remains committed to offering its retail banking and insurance services. "For the time being nothing changes, neither for existing nor for new customers," he said. He added customers do not need to take any action as a result of today's announcement. The news comes just two months after Ulster Bank announced a wind-down of its Irish operation, which will see the closure of its branches in OConnell Street, Dooradoyle and Shannon. While Bank of Ireland is also significantly cutting back its branch network, with the closure of seven branches across the county. Central ministries have enforced a fresh set of guidelines on their staff in view of the steep hike in the number of coronavirus cases in Delhi. Staggered office timings and online meetings have become the norm again for all government employees. As per the new guidelines issued by the Union Home Ministry, officers up to the level of Under Secretary and below are permitted to work from home and only 50% of employees need to attend office. The ministry, in an office memorandum, stated that all officers attending office can stagger entry timings between 9 am to 10 am with corresponding exit hours, and employees living in containment zones be exempted from attending office. Also Read: COVID-19: Govt approves plan to increase production of Remdesivir, drug cos to cut price "In view of the unprecedented rise in the numbers of COVID-19 cases in Delhi, it has been decided to take measures to prevent its spread," the home ministry said. The home ministry said officers at the level of under secretary or equivalent and below be allowed to work from home and their physical attendance in office be restricted to 50 per cent of the actual overall strength. Rosters for their attendance will be prepared by divisional or wing heads concerned. Individual wing heads can, however, call for more than 50 per cent physical attendance of any of the categories of officials in their wings, if required on administrative grounds. All officers at the level of Deputy Secretary, equivalent, and above are to attend office on a regular basis. "All officers who attend office can stagger timings with entry into the office spread between 9 AM to 10 AM with corresponding office exit timings. This will also avoid rush in commuting, as also in lifts and corridors. Roster system by divisional or wing heads to take care of this aspect," the home ministry said. Also Read: Class 9, 11 exams in Delhi govt schools cancelled over spike in COVID-19 cases: Sisodia All officials who do not attend office on a particular day are to make themselves available on telephone and other electronic means of communication at all times from their residence and work from home. All officials residing in containment zones shall continue to be exempt from coming to the office until the containment zone is denotified, it said. All officials who attend office shall strictly follow COVID appropriate behaviour including wearing of masks, physical distancing, use of sanitiser and frequent hand washing with soap and water. Crowding in lifts, staircases, corridors, common areas, including refreshment kiosks and parking areas, are to be strictly avoided and meetings, as far as possible, to be conducted through videoconferencing, the home ministry said. Entry of outsiders or visitors to be curtailed appropriately and all employees of the age of 45 years and above are advised to get themselves vaccinated, the ministry said. "The above instructions or guidelines shall come into effect immediately and will remain in force until April 30, 2021, or further orders, whichever is earlier," it said. Delhi recorded 16,699 fresh COVID-19 cases and 112 fatalities due to the disease on Thursday, according to data shared by the health department. This comes a day after the national capital registered 17,282 new infections, its highest single-day spike till date. The number of cases has been on an upward spiral in the last few days. (With inputs from PTI.) The country needs massive investment in human resource development to propel productivity and national growth. The Omanhene of the Agogo Traditional Area in the Ashanti Region, Nana Kwame Akuoko Sarpong, who said this, noted that the rate at which technology was changing the world called for robust national strategies to develop a skilled workforce with the competencies to drive prosperity. It is said that a nation can never be greater than its people; and I believe that with huge investment in the people, the sky is the limit. This is the second part of the development journey, he said in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Agogo recently. In our bid to tackle human resource development, the traditional ruler and statesman said, the Chinese example should be a guide. The Chinese did this because they have had a long history of education and they are now reaping the benefits of the investment and if Ghana is to succeed, we must follow that path, he said. Leap The Omanhene noted that Ghana was getting ready for the big leap forward into self-sustained growth. He said from the time of independence, there had been steady socio-economic growth, albeit characterised by some difficult periods, but there was little doubt that the country was set for a major take-off. He, however, said the surest way to reach the expected level was massive investment in human resource development. Ghana has a historic mission for Africa and it is important that the people forge ahead to realise that mission, he stated. Journey Taking a journey down memory lane, the Omanhene said: The first part of the development journey started in 1957 when President Kwame Nkrumah declared that the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked to the total liberation of the African continent. He said that first part of the development journey had virtually come to an end and the second part had started now. This is a mission that Ghana has to undertake, and we must forge ahead to achieve that, he stated. Social transformation Nana Sarpong noted that three major policy initiatives had put the country on the path of social transformation. The first is that of the late former President J.J. Rawlingss bold decision to extend electricity beyond Sunyani to the northern part of the country, a feat which, at the time of the Third Republic, had been virtually declared an almost impossible mission. Rawlingss PNDC regime broke that myth. The second is President J.A. Kufuors decision to implement the school feeding programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme, and the third is President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos free senior high school policy which seeks to make both senior and technical education free for all students. He said those three major initiatives had been very revolutionary, although very costly in the short term but very productive in the long term. These initiatives place Ghana in a position to be the real Black Star of Africa. All that Ghana needs to do is make the Black Star shine, he stated. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The zero sum is a very old story that tells people that theres an us and a them and progress for them has to come at our expense, she said. And the racial zero sum tells white Americans that the biggest impediment to their progress is racialized others Black people, brown people, immigrants and that they should resent anything that could benefit people of color even if it could also benefit them. 100 years of hams The New Indian Express reports that, from offering a helping hand in defence to exploring cultural diversity, amateur radio stations in India celebrate their 100th anniversary CQ...CQ...CQ...Anybody on the frequency? Wonder if it is any secret code used by national intelligence? No, this is the general call format practised by amateur radio operators across the globe. Amateur radio operators or hams use a particular radio frequency to invite and respond. As 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the amateur radio in India, we tune into some of the active hams across the state to know how their lives have changed after setting their frequencies with ham radios. For former CEO of Technopark and Infopark, Girish Babu, being a ham operator for more than four decades was an outcome of fascination and curiosity towards radio. He succeeded to become a licensed radio amateur in 1979. With his radio call sign, VU2KGB, Girish volunteered to be a helping hand in the 1990 Gulf War in evacuating the Indians from the war spot using his amateur radio network along with other hams. The benefit of the amateur radio network is that we do not encounter communication hindrances during any calamity as we can work independent of conventional systems, using even satellite frequencies across the globe. The HF communication is done through the radio signals reflected from the ionospheric layers, which we receive and transmit using antennas placed in our stations. We can use several modes to connect with other hams across the world and this can be used as a source of emergency communication, he adds. It was in the early 90s as I was checking the VHF frequencies randomly and caught hold of some conversations near Agasthyarkoodam hill area. I found that it was a clandestine operation possibly by a militant group that was settled in the hill area. With the help of then district collector and a few other officials, the matter was conveyed to the head of the defence electronics applications lab who was also a Ham. As a result, a search team was sent by air and the illegal settlement and radio relay systems were destroyed by a commando team. Thus being a ham gives us possibilities to engage in national security too he added. Fascinated by his ham operations, his wife Maya Shankar, also became a ham with the call sign, VU2CIA, in 1990. The homemaker enjoys the medium to connect with other people across the world and learns the cultural diversities. Read the full New Indian Express article 100 years of hams- The New Indian Express Dileesh Pothans Malayalam film Joji, which recently released on Amazon Prime, is the latest Indian version of Macbeth. To be fair, the film is very vaguely related to Shakespeares tragedy and only takes greed, murder and retribution from the play. One should not compare the film to Macbeth. Joji is different from Vishal Bhardwajs Maqbool (2003) which tried to adapt the play more faithfully. In the film Joji (Fahadh Faasil) is the youngest son in a wealthy Syrian Christian family, with two older brothers Jomon and Jaison. Jomon, an alcoholic, is divorced while Jaison has a wife Bincy (Unnimaya Prasad) and there is also a teenage grandson Popy. The patriarch is the seventy-odd-year-old but bull-like Kuttappan (PN Sunny), who rules the household with an iron fist. While exerting himself physically more than he should have, Kuttappan has a stroke and is paralyzed. Although his sons are not unhappy with his approaching demise, they get him to undergo surgery, and he recovers miraculously. Joji, who has generally been a failure, now tries to broach the subject of property division to the father and finds himself physically hurt and humiliated. This forces Joji to take an extreme step. Joji is weakly scripted and acted (except for N Sunny as the father). The protagonist is not given enough motivation to conduct himself as he does. He could, for instance, have contracted debts in anticipation of his fathers death, the debts subsequently compelling him to commit a crime. The bloodlust experienced by Macbeth in the play is also not in evidence although Joji commits another crime to protect himself. But there are other departures as well, the chief of which is the absence of the occult element, viz. the witches. The best film version of Macbeth hitherto has been Polanskis 1971 version and Polanski interprets the witches as a subculture in the custody of the people, those excluded from power. Kings may fight each other for supremacy in the political realm but they ultimately need to seek outside politics. Polanskis witches are of different ages, and he includes a secret gathering of witches in a nook, which suggests an enduring tradition of witchcraft and the occult resting with the people. It is the occult element in Shakespeares tragedies that Indian film adaptations have been unable to accommodate. In Maqbool, for instance, the three witches are replaced by two policemen discussing horoscopes. The occult, by definition, is outside human comprehension and, when the story deals with the powerful, the occult becomes a way of suggesting forces outside politics and brute power. A horoscope, in contrast, claims to be science, which means that it is within human understanding. The policemen are another motif that makes little sense since they belong to the same social world as Maqbool and his gangsters; the witches most definitely do not belong within Macbeths social/political world. In Othello, Iagos motive-less wickedness also fills us with wonder and dread, which the motive of envy offered in Bhardwajs Omkara (2007) does not. The refusal to include the occult element happens again in Haider (2014) when the late kings ghost is replaced by a militant from across the border. Each of the tragedies deals with the powerful, and these powerful are themselves subjected to domination by occult forces, which is a way of proposing the limits of earthly power. Shakespeare is an important element in Indian culture not only because of his universal appeal but also because the teaching of English literature was made so central to education under British rule. But unlike the comedies which fit Indian popular cinema perfectly (e.g.: The Taming of the Shrew as Nanjundi Kalyana) the tragedies, which are the most prestigious of Shakespeares plays, do not really answer to the demands of popular film narrative. The chief reason, in my view, is the occult element central to them, suggesting a world outside human comprehension. Indian popular films are not comfortable with the unknowable since every film works is like a fable in which there is a definite reward for virtue and punishment for wickedness. Indians, it can be argued, tend to read tragedies as melodramas, with a reassuringly moral universe in attendance. So-called Indian film tragedies like Devdas are mechanistic in their emphasis and they do not make us wonder at the inhuman forces governing the world, over which even the most powerful have no control. My own sense of this trend is that Shakespeares great tragedies are adapted mainly for their prestige since no Indian film based on them has succeeded artistically apparently because of the predispositions of Indian cinema. All the great tragedies demand interpretation while Indian popular cinema comes to us already interpreted. (The writer is a well-known film critic). LONDON (Reuters) -Pregnant women in Britain should get a COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer or Moderna because there is more real-world data to show they are safe, the British public body that advises on vaccinations said on Friday. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said around 90,000 pregnant women had been vaccinated in the United States, mainly with the two American vaccines, without any safety concerns being raised. "Based on these data, the JCVI advises that it is preferable for pregnant women in the UK to be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available," it said. "There is no evidence to suggest that other vaccines are unsafe for pregnant women, but more research is needed." Pregnant women had previously been advised against taking the vaccine in Britain because not enough information was known about the impact. "I encourage all pregnant women when they are called to get the jab to come forward and discuss the benefits and risks of the vaccine with a trusted source like their GP (family doctor), obstetrician or midwife," Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. Britain recently advised that all under 30s should be given alternative vaccines to the Oxford/AstraZeneca shot if possible because of a "vanishingly" rare side effect of blood clots in the brain. (Reporting by Kate Holton, editing by David Milliken) Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse University student is taking his school to court for suspending him over a small quantity of marijuana found hidden last October among some chocolate-covered strawberries, according to a complaint in Onondaga County Supreme Court. The third-year student from Queens was suspended for a year, ordered to do 40 hours of community service, remain employed or taking classes elsewhere, submit three character references and write a personal essay on what he learned from the ordeal when reapplying for admission, according to the schools decision, filed in court paperwork. But the student, who was allowed to file his lawsuit anonymously, says that punishment doesnt fit the crime and shocks the senses of fairness. The students lawyer, Melissa Swartz, declined to identify him to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. In court papers, she described him as a 6-foot, 1-inch tall, brown-skinned Hispanic with long hair down to his waist that he wore in a ponytail. At a time when New York State is legalizing recreational marijuana use, the university has made it clear that it still considers use by its students a big no-no. In regards to the argument for inappropriate sanctions, the Appeals Board would remind the Respondent that regardless of the current laws or public sentiment regarding marijuana, the Respondent has been charged with violating the universitys conduct policy, the students suspension decision reads. SU is not alone in taking a hardline against marijuana use by students, even in states where use is legal otherwise. Thats because marijuana use is still a federal crime, and schools who turn a blind eye could jeopardize their streams of government funding, according to the federal government. Thats true even for private schools, like SU, which still receive federal money for various projects. In regards to the October 2020 case, the student maintains it wasnt even his marijuana among the chocolate-covered strawberries. Heres what happened: The student was bringing a backpack to a friend, who was in Covid-19 quarantine at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel (thats where students with exposure to Covid-19 have been isolated). As the bag was being stored for the friend to come and get it, workers smelled marijuana coming from inside, according to a summary in the lawsuit. When checked, workers found a box with the chocolate-covered strawberries and a green leafy substance, later confirmed to be marijuana. The friend denied that it was her marijuana, according to the lawsuit. The student says that he picked up the bag from a sorority and brought it to her as a favor. He says he doesnt know where the marijuana came from, either. But the Appeals Board noted that the student had told a public safety officer that the friend had left the bag at his house. The student did not explain who might have had access to it between that point and when he brought it to the Sheraton, the board added. Its unclear how much marijuana was found in the backpack. Swartz described it as a personal amount, noting that the University did not seek to press criminal charges against her client. Given the nature of the case, Swartz argues that SUs response was unfair and had a huge impact on the students life. He has been: (1) treated like a criminal, (2) branded as a dangerous individual, (3) labeled as a drug dealer, and (4) forced to disengage from academic life, including missing numerous assignments and having to ignore professors inquiring as to his attendance, Swartz wrote in her complaint. In late February, SU lawyers agreed to allow the student to stay enrolled at the university until a state Supreme Court Justice rules on the lawsuit. Both sides are due in court next month. Border guards in An Giang Province with a sniffer dog patrol around the border area with Cambodia, August 2020. Photo by VnExpress/An Phu. Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long warned the risk of a new Covid-19 outbreak in Vietnam was "very high" amid a significant surge in community transmissions from neighboring countries. Long told an online meeting Friday the southwest border with Cambodia and southwestern provinces of the country, better known as the Mekong Delta region, are now "major hotspots" at high risk of possible Covid-19 outbreaks. Therefore, he urged border forces to prevent illegal entry or exit as well as to ensure those entering Vietnam from neighboring countries are sent to centralized quarantine facilities. Vietnam's border with Cambodia spans 1,137 kilometers, including the border with four Mekong Delta provinces An Giang, Dong Thap, Kien Giang and Long An. Other Vietnamese provinces bordering Cambodia are Binh Phuoc and Tay Ninh which are near HCMC, and Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong in the Central Highlands. "If we neglect and let those carrying the virus, especially the U.K. and South African strains, enter the country and then infect the community, pandemic control would become very difficult," Long said. Both Cambodia and Thailand have become epicenters in Southeast Asia with a significant surge in Covid-19 community transmissions in recent days. Cambodia imposed a coronavirus lockdown on its capital Phnom Penh on Thursday in a bid to contain a spike in cases. The country recorded 344 new infections on Thursday, pushing its tally to 5,200, while Thailand reported 1,543 new coronavirus cases, the sharpest increase since the start of the pandemic and the fourth record rise this week, amid a third wave of infections in the country. Just last month, Vietnam had suffered a spate of infections after a group of Vietnamese returned home illegally from Cambodia. Three of them, all women 25 and 26 years old, were confirmed infected after they returned on a fishing vessel that docked at Phu Quoc Island of Kien Giang. Many Vietnamese reside and do business in Cambodia, with many found infected with the novel coronavirus here over the past months. While Vietnam has sealed its borders, there are occasional illegal entrants who evade checkpoints to avoid mandatory quarantine. As per the Health Ministry protocols, all those entering the nation from abroad must be quarantined for 14 days, during which they will be tested at least twice. Vietnam has gone over two months without community transmissions. Anna Clyne is a 41-year composer who was born in London and is currently living in New Paltz and shes got a lot to say. Each of the five orchestral pieces on her new CD Mythologies bursts with action, color and intensity. The opener is Masquerade, a model of what an arresting concert overture can be. Its a jam-packed five minutes of kaleidoscopic colors, quick changing textures, and rapid fire climaxes. Whats more, the piece shows that Clyne isnt afraid to share some good tunes. When the Philadelphia Orchestra under conductor Kensho Watanabe played Masquerade at SPAC in August 2019, I described the piece as cosmic. I might add demanding and trippy. In her liner notes to the new CD Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim says its inebriated with its own momentum and that it quotes on old British drinking song. Where can you go after that? Clyne succeeds in sustaining that kind of high energy. So much so that listening to the disc from start to finish was taxing. Its worth remembering that the set of works wasnt conceived as a suite and any one of the pieces on its own would likely be a memorable part of any concert. The pieces were recorded between 2012 and 2018 by the BBC Symphony Orchestra with a different conductor for each selection. The conductors are Marin Alsop, Sakari Oramo, Andrew Litton and Andre de Ridder. They perform the music with command and authority, which is probably the only way to handle this kind of material. The writing in The Midnight Hour isnt quite as insistent. Clyne lets the action and volume levels ebb and flow, but she never allows the narrative thread to slacken. And what is the story shes telling? It feels like a Hollywood adventure in a wooded land of yore, something like Game of Thrones. In fact, the inspiration came from a couple of poems, one of them about a naked woman running through the woods. (I wasnt too far off the mark.) The Seamstress features violin soloist Jennifer Koh though the piece isnt a concerto in any traditional sense. Tone poem might be a better label. This time my mind (ignoring the title) pictured a scientific laboratory with colorful beakers and lots of steam all in service of some kind of alchemical conjuring of life. After this long and mysterious opening section comes a new element the recorded sounds of a woman taking quick sips of air. Eventually this sonic presence uses language and the piece becomes a duet between the violin and the voice. It's seems appropriate that pictures come to mind while listening since images are often part of Clynes process. Night Ferry is another thunderous escapade and before she dug into the score she painted a 15-foot long mural depicting a ship in a stormy sea. I dont consider myself a painter, says Clyne, but my work is very visual. For the closer, the disc returns to abstraction. <